Resolutions, Affirmations and Intentions - OH MY! (and a handy tip sheet!)
It’s January 3rd. Three days into twenty-twenty. Have we had enough of the riffs on the new year, a new decade, resolutions yet?
Of course, not!
January is full of new promises as we turn the calendar. Whether you did a decade-retrospective, have lofty goals for 2020, are starting slow with a new habit or feeling the joy of letting go of 2019 and all that weighed you down, it seems most of us are feeling the energetic shift of a new year. I’m usually all in on that.
Except for this year. November was full of family fun and some health issues, all of which resolved smoothly, but, as health things generally do, they sapped a lot of energy. And as someone with multiple auto-immune issues, stress tends to make my body freak out.
And freak out, it did. My skin broke out like a teenager, my dry eyes did battle with contacts almost daily, my joints ached, and come December, I had a whopper of a cold. I’m a person who works actively to balance eastern and western medicine, and generally, that works well. This time, not so much.
I succumbed to the popularity of elderberry and figured it would help boost my immune system as this cold tried to slow me down. In the hectic lead up to Christmas, I wasn’t as aware of my body as I often am, and missed the signs that my immune system was struggling. (Side note: elderberry is actually contraindicated for those with autoimmune diseases, a detail I did NOT take note of…) That struggle continued through the holiday until I finally dragged my sorry behind to the doctor, who diagnosed me with pneumonia.
So rather than my usual end of the year rituals and celebrations and preparations, I splayed on the couch and read, binge-watched Mrs. Maisel, Friends, the Crown, and a few bowl games. Not my jam at all. I was grumpy and frustrated. I tried working and cleaning up and only felt worse. I had no choice but to surrender.
A few days later, I mused to friends about the possibility of socializing in the real world, only to be met with choruses of “no way- stay home! Don’t share this!” My days were punctuated with text to my adult kids to make sure they paid attention to how they were feeling and that they got to the doctor early. (Mom has no reports of sick kids - PHEW!)
Fast forward to today. I am a bit behind, a lot behind! My house is a wreck, I have two writing deadlines looming tomorrow, I haven’t worked out in a week, the dog grumbles about the lack of walks, and walking up the stairs has been considered a workout.
I started to feel a little FOMO and filled my head with self-doubt about all the should-haves. The ruminations begot more ruminations - as in like attracts like.
As much as I love the physical, energetic, and metaphorical cleanup and reset that comes with year-end, I bookend each day with those rituals. And that’s when it hit me.
I was beginning to feel better physically but mentally I wasn’t there. It was time to re-frame my perception of things and see that my “misfortunes” were really pretty piddly. When I invoked some self-affirmations and small, manageable intentions for the day, things began to really feel better. I was laughing again and enjoying the company of family. I had more energy to read or do a little work and a lot more insight on getting over this hump.
Turning the calendar to a new year is not the only time we get to put closure on things and set ourselves up to envision what is next.
Each day is our new start. It’s easy to affirm and encourage others - and sometimes we need to affirm ourselves deliberately.
Each day we can set an intention for how we want to show up what we want to accomplish, how we want to feel.
At the end of each day, we can practice gratitude, self-compassion, and awareness for all that we have and set that aside to we can rest and restart.
This month, I’m going to be sharing a series of intentions, routines, and habits. These are small steps you can try out and see if they help you greet each day as a fresh start, one that you can show up as your best self (or as best as you can!). I’m sure you encourage and affirm others- it might be time to turn these skills on yourself.
Need a jump start on some affirmations or intentions? I’ve got something for you if you just read a wee bit further….
I’m also working on a few in-person and virtual small group coaching opportunities for this winter. Be sure to check your inbox for my Thursday Thoughts (like this one) and updates on offerings or drop me a note with your interest.
To get us started, check out this shortlist of affirmations and intentions that will help you start your day or get you through a rocky spell.
If you’ve got some affirmations or intentions for the day, the week or the year, I’d love to hear them! Share on the Grounded 2 Grow Facebook page or on Instagram.
Be well and take care - here’s to a fantastic 2020!
