Focus word: Intention

If you have read my blog over the years, you will know that I all-but-abandon it on the regular. Except for around-the-new-year time, I get all this inspiration to create and write and resolve myself.

Looking back on last year’s focus word, I can now say that I completely failed. Oh, I’ve had some light moments: lighthearted fun with my family; light-of-Christ moments of teaching my church kiddos and loving those around me.

I did not create pictures or music. I did not read uplifting books (for the most part). I did not focus on decluttering my house.

I did a lot of stuff though. I buried my mother-in-law. I loved that woman, and burying her was second only to burying my dad.

I read the entire Book of Mormon. It took most of the year, and I took a lot of time off over the year, but I finished it. I read most of the New Testament. I finished a program in my church that the Young Women do called Personal Progress. Finishing meant that I studied specific topics and completed projects that were relevant to those topics.

I read 96 books - fiction, non-fiction, and everything in between.

I went on vacation with 20 of my family members (and those close friends who are family because I decided they were). That was both stressful and amazing.

I learned how to bake bread from scratch (including making and using sourdough starter).

In some ways I feel really good about 2019 but there are several areas I need to improve in, and I’m using this new year time of year to sort out some goals and abandon others. The air around me vibrates with the energy of potential, and one thing that is true about me is that when I set my mind to something I accomplish it.

This year, my focus word is intention. My family gathers for a gospel discussion/study each Monday evening, and a lot of our talks harken back to the concept of intention. We talk about it in terms of being the opposite of “going through the motions”. To act with intention means deciding on our own behaviour and acting with purpose. To act as agents, rather than to be acted upon.

For me, it means setting out with purpose in my day to day life. That looks like less time wasted on social media, less time playing games on my phone, and less time on pursuits that I realise, upon examining them, that I am not really enjoying.

I have a big ole list of things I want to do - this year, but every day, for the rest of my life. I want to re-connect with the things that bring me joy and when I think about what prevented that for me last year, I can see that it is because I didn’t set out my day(s) with any particular intention most days. If I only accomplished the things I set out to do, my year would not have included much of anything. Truthfully, I might not accomplish much more this year but I think I’ll be happier for some intention setting.

I don’t know to hold myself accountable for some things. I am hoping that by remembering my focus word and focusing on my intentions I will be able to achieve greater personal happiness in 2020.