Anyone else\nget ridiculously excited over new planners? I\u2019m such a pen and paper girl that\nwhen I open a new notebook, planner or organizer, the anticipation is palpable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Especially\nat this time of year \u2013 it feels new and fresh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And also\nintimidating and a bit full of pressure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The idea\nthat at this time of year we need to make these grand plans, resolutions to\nmake massive changes\u2026probably unsustainable but in the context of traditional\n\u201cresolutions\u201d, sustainment isn\u2019t something conventionally focused on. It\u2019s more\nthe grand gesture people ask us about. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
New Years\nResolutions are still something we talk about a lot, hey? Today, someone\nsuggested that we talk about New Years \u201cIntentions\u201d instead of \u201cresolutions\u201d\nand I thought that was something I could totally get behind. Instead of\nannouncing massive lifestyle changes full of grandiose plans, what if we set\nour intentions to do some things, learn some things, spend time with some\npeople? That kind of thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m big on\nintention and trying to be even better at it. I\u2019ve still set goals for my year\n(hello, shiny new planner!) but they intentional as opposed to these big\nresolutions that come with so much expectation. Intention implies\naction\u2026conscious effort towards something, no matter how big or small the\nmovement. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I think\nconsciousness is important in intention as well \u2013 the whole idea that we don\u2019t\ndo things by rote, but with thought and risk-mitigated abandon. 😊 Yes, I\ntend to dream big, with confidence and as my friend mentioned today, without\nfear of failure, but I definitely also spend time on calculating and mitigating\nthe risks I expect will occur as I reach these goals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s\nintentional too\u2026the planning and pathways thinking. As I talk about, Hope Theory\nis Goals + Agency thinking (your motivation) + Pathways thinking (the ability\nto find alternative solutions to overcome barriers) \u2013 barriers are absolutely\ngoing to get in the way so I\u2019m intentional about anticipating them and having\nsolutions for them in my back pocket. Clearly, I can\u2019t anticipate all the\npossible scenarios but it does make me feel better to have at least some\noptions in my proverbial back pocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I truly\nbelieve people who set goals are more hopeful, more accomplished and live\nfuller, more experiential lives because they\u2019re progressing towards a future\nthat\u2019s likely to be better than today. And hopefully your goals are stretch\ngoals, where you feel an awesome sense of accomplishment when you achieve them,\nwhere they take as much as effort as needed to keep you motivated but not so\nmuch effort that you\u2019re feeling as though they\u2019re an impossible task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If that\u2019s\nthe case, break them down into smaller goals\u2026progress towards the goal is may\nmore manageable, and fun, than the seemingly endless stretch between HERE<\/em><\/strong>\nand THERE<\/em><\/strong>. Goal\naccomplishment can (and I believe, should be) fun and challenging and full of\nlittle successes to celebrate.\n\nWhat intentions do you have as we start this new\ndecade?\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Anyone else get ridiculously excited over new planners? I\u2019m such a pen and paper girl that when I open a new notebook, planner or organizer, the anticipation is palpable. Especially at this time of year \u2013 it feels new and fresh. And also intimidating and a bit full of pressure. The idea that at this time of year we need … <\/p>\n