It’s the last Tuesday of 2010. That makes it perfect for today’s topic: 10 Intentions for the New Year. In my world, these are not resolutions because resolutions are vehicles for failure – to me, anyway. But intentions feel like goals and that makes them positive and easier to do. At least, that’s the theory. Let’s go!
- Exercise. Seriously, it’s time to get off my ass at least 3 times a week and Just.Do.It.
- Work on portion control. I eat good food, I just eat too much of it.
- Spin more frequently. I may even take up 10 minutes a day again.
- Read more books. More reading has decreased significantly since knitting took over my life. I love my Kindle, though, and it makes reading more fun.
- Listen to more audiobooks. I’ve been listening to the FDR biography for 2 months. I like it but I’m sick of it and need to finish up so I can move on to something else.
- Continue with Project 365. I contemplated giving up on this but I’ve seen significant improvement in my photos over the past year and I think it’s because I’ve taken at least one photo every day – it hardly seems appropriate to give up on this considering the benefits.
- Take more pictures of people. I tend to shoot mostly still life stuff and flowers and landscapes but I need to put myself out there and take photos of my family and friends.
- Take care of my skin. I’m not as young as I used to be and it’s time to be proactive about those little lines and dry patches.
- Allow myself to be happy. This can be difficult for me, I think mostly due to the major losses I have had in my life. I think somehow my mind gets all twisted and believes that if I am too happy something bad will happen – so I look for problems. It’s unconscious but I’d like to be more conscious about it and just allow myself to feel happiness without worrying about what will happen next.
- Live in the moment. This goes hand in hand with #9.
I hope we all have great success with our intentions!
I like the idea for intentions rather than resolutions. Resolutions sound so set in stone and serious. Intentions feel soft and have the ability to blend into routines in our life. Now it’s time for me to set some intentions!
I, too, was inspired by “intentions” instead of “resolutions” – thank you for the push I needed to create my own list! Good luck with your list – I also thought about doing project 365 again (did it in 2009, but abandoned this year) and decided an on-line photography class would maybe push me more. We’ll see!
I love your photos-pictures of people would be really interesting. It makes me want to take a photography class when I see what you’ve done with Project 365. But for now, my intention this year is to become a quilter! But I’m with you on numbers 1,2,4,8 AND 9!
I listen to audio books while I do my morning walk. Two miles up to Starbucks for a cup of coffee with a little soy, some reading and/or knitting and the two miles home or to the LYS to hang out and get high on yarn fumes.
The walk sets the right tone for the day and I listen to favorite books while doing it.
If you are happy (high) something “bad” (low) will happen. It’s the way of the Yin and Yang. However, the key is contentment. Keep yourself content with your life and the highs and lows add spice!
Great list … and I really like thinking of them as “intentions” rather than “resolutions”.
My resolutions are very similar to yours. Good luck to us both. You photos have always been great. Keep up the good work.
BTW, I don’t agree with Heather (above) that yin and yang equal good and bad and that bad is a consequence of good. We don’t know how the cosmos works. Let’s try to hang loose and stay connected in a positive way to get the most out of life.
1-4, and 9 are on my list. I also have a resolution to floss daily and to cook more vegetarian (or at least not meat centered) meals.
Every intention can be added to my list, too. My iPod, full of books, gets me through many a day. You can listen while you knit and you don’t need to deal with CDs, plus it’s portable. I’m not going to do 365, but I’ll do all the other intentions along with you.
I was intending to be more proactive (i.e., not lazy) in the new year but I am already thinking about just stealing your intentions because they all apply. I guess I am not off to a good start. 😉
The word intentions is so much more powerful than resolutions. Thanks for using it! Great list, too!
very good intentions. i’ve read though that if are more specific with your intentions or resolutions then you are more successful. so for example, instead of saying “work on portion control” think “measuring out the foods i love most so that i don’t overeat them.”
As usual, I’m with you on most of it. You are so good at these lists. You always have a few that make me wonder why I didn’t think of them like #2. That’s a really good one.
You wrote it, but I was thinking of so many of the same ‘intentions’ that you’re talking about! Interesting how many of the people leaving comments were all thinking the same way-you know the old saying about ‘great minds…’ Good luck with your intentions!
So many things I can relate to on your great list! Here’s a book for most of us-“Self-Nuture” by Alice Domar. Learning to care for yourself as effectively as you care for everyone else. Time to dust it off…read it…and practice what I’ve read!
That’s a great list. I found my self nodding to most all of them, meaning my list would be nearly the same.
Love the idea of calling them ‘intentions’ rather than ‘resolutions!’ I’m with you 🙂 and off to make my own list!
Great list – happy TOT! Just posted mine…
I’m with you in most of those intentions. Solidarity Sista!
I’m with you on your list. #1-10.
Those are all great intentions! We recently changed our casual dishes to Fiesta dinnerware and they have a great small bowl that I’m using to help with portion size. If I make a big plate, I find halfway through that I’m not hungry anymore, but I finish it anyway. So I’m going to start making smaller plates!
That’s a lot of good intentions. I’ll be rooting for you.
I love your “intentions”–I need to follow 3,4, 9 & 10! Happy New Year Carole!!!
Great list!
I have so many of the same ones, either written down or in my head. Here’s to 2011!
I take so many people pictures and maybe that is why I am so frustrated. I am going to try stills for awhile at this suggestion of sorts of yours. Maybe I’ll feel more successful…….
Be happy dear blog friend, expect more happiness from it. I know it is a hard way to think when most of us grew up thinking about the other shoe dropping as the saying goes, but happiness does beget happiness. You deserve it. You loved ones lost want you happy
Nice list Carole, especially #10 which I am very guilty of myself.
This will be a year of huge changes for me so I think I may have to sit down and do an intentions list too. 🙂
Thanks for your inspiration Carole. I don’t comment on blogs very often but I love reading yours and seeing your pics, so I thought I’d drop you a line and let you know. I know that you will find your intentions for 2011 reachable and hope that they bring you much joy, happiness and fulfillment.
I totally get your #9. My mind does crazy subconscious things, too. It can be a drag, can’t it? And #8 – I wondered why people were so concerned about wrinkles until this giant cavernous line showed up under my lip! 🙂