Believe. Breathe. Begin.
These three intentions have become clear as I move into the new year.
What did 2018 hold for you?
When and where did you feel the most alive?
Thriving?
Resilient?
As the near year has raced towards us at warp speed, I find myself looking back as I look forward into 2019. Personally, I need to recap where I’ve been in order to determine where I’m going.
I was inspired by these two resources that popped up on my feed through an app called Shine. The first, (a quick read by Molly Shea) entitled “7 Ways to Release What Didn’t Serve You in 2018” was a very practical and concise approach to closing out the year and setting intentions for the new year. I appreciate the asset-based approach to new year’s reflections summed up in this quote:
“For everything you hope to leave behind, give a little thought to what you hope to cultivate instead.”
This simple and profound strategy reminds us that some of the learnings are to replace what hasn’t worked for us in recent times with the intention to cultivate something new in its place. We don’t ever truly leave our lessons learned behind us, yet we learn by integrating them into our lives moving forward.
This year I re-discovered some habits and mindsets I fall into. They are not new for me, just inconsistent in their presence throughout my life. Upon reflecting on how these thoughts, habits, and behaviors showed up in 2018, I will share three intentions I am setting in 2019.
#1 Believe.
This might seem surprising to some people – I spend a lot of time overcoming my own beliefs about my self-worth, abilities, credibility, and so on. I work with my coach, Kayley Robsham, and my spouse to regularly work through this complex presence of imposter syndrome, which can be particularly heavy in times of transition and chaos.
People will tell me “thank you for your work” and many times I’m not quite sure what they’re alluding to. I think to myself, “What did I do” What work?” I found myself full of doubt about my own value and worth in 2018. I say this might be of surprise to some, because I typically hold back these thoughts from public posting and sharing. I’m humbled by people like my friend, Sinclair Ceasar, who share the wide range of thoughts and emotions, self-doubts to self-love and everything in the wide spectrum of human emotions that exists.
This year, I aim to believe in myself. This is easier than it sounds. It requires constant reflection and inspection of beliefs about value, credibility, accomplishment in order to evaluate how relevant these beliefs are, given the time, place, and history of my abilities and contributions.
How will you believe in yourself in 2019? Which areas of your life did you question your capabilities, your self-worth, your credibility?
How will you keep the mindset and behaviors that worked?
How will you shift what didn’t contribute to your overall thriving and success in 2019?
#2: Breathe.
Breathing fully throughout the day can be challenging for me. I hold my breath in peak emotional moments (without knowing it most times). Breathing and centering my attention to my body’s current status and response will be important in order to move through moments of challenge, stress, and transition.
Working in academic environments is a constant reminder that we are in our brains, intellectualizing daily experiences. This leaves out the wisdom from the rest of our body’s experience and intuition.
#3: Begin.
This year, I focused on consistency and following through. Completing the Stay Resilient planner, publishing regular newsletters and podcast episodes were huge triumphs for me. Simultaneously, I noticed that I refrained from starting or completing smaller tasks and habits.
This year, I am committing to completing tasks that I show initial or recurring resistance to. Maybe the task isn’t as fun or enjoyable or it doesn’t feel like “the true work”, yet the task needs to be completed. I am urging myself to complete those tasks in the moment that I think of them.
I also tend to dream and ideate, rather than starting and completing projects that would bring me tremendous joy.
I intend to begin – begin in the here and now with what I’ve got in the moment. To be satisfied with “good enough” and resist perfectionist tendencies.
How has the idea of “beginning” resonated with you in 2018? What worked well that you would like to carry into the new year? What would you like to replace or cultivate in place of behaviors and thoughts that didn’t bring you joy or abundance?
Believe. Breathe. Begin.
These are intentions that are clear for me as I proceed into 2019. Which intentions will drive your learning, growth, and thriving in 2019?
Take some time to retreat and set meaningful intentions as you move forward into the new year.
If you need an additional resource to carry your intentions and ongoing reflections throughout 2019, check out Stay Resilient 2019: A Weekly & Monthly Resilience Planner.
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