2020 Vision
When was the last time you had your eyes checked?
Maybe you do this regularly, or perhaps you continuously put it off. I wasn't diligent with my eye examinations until there was something wrong with my vision. Usually, my vision is 20/20, but recently, I've experienced blurriness in one eye that has reduced my visual acuity — and has forced me to be intentional in treating the issue.
This has made me reflect on my vision in a non-physical sense and how I am being intentional in other areas of my life.
2019 has been a FULL year of new experiences - both exciting and challenging. I have learned a lot about myself in the process of self- and business development.
Photo by Bruno Nascimento on Unsplash
This first year of building a business has placed some pressing demands on my vision - my mental vision. And as I think about the year that approaches, I have been thinking about one thing that I needed to change that would benefit all areas of my life moving forward.
There is this overarching issue that is blurring how I interpret various areas in my life - and I am losing focus.
This time of year, many of us are looking ahead to the year that awaits; new years resolutions are trending again, and we fill our brains with, "What goals do I want to achieve this year?," or "How will I make this year better than last?"
The New Year does bring a certain level of anxiety. We are bombarded with the blitz and expectations to find the perfect way to ring in the next 12 months; then on top of that, the undue pressure around setting, exceeding and "smashing" goals - while at the same time, managing and juggling all of the other things life throws at us.
But let's face it:
We. Are. Human.
We are bound to get sidetracked.
While setting goals is a great way to motivate us, they can also produce a feeling that what we currently have is not enough. We may question: Will I be successful or not? Am I going to fulfill my goal? Am I a failure if I do not reach my goal?
So, I have my sight set on a new idea.
Intentions
While Goals are focused on the future, intentions are in the present moment - they are lived each day as mini actions towards a goal. An intention is an excellent way to stay present and mindful of how we are working towards our goals on purpose.
My mindset for the New Year is balancing desired outcomes (or goals) by focusing on intentions. I challenged myself to focus on one thing that will contribute to and positively influence every area of my life.
That intention for 2020 is:
S P A C E
I have been feeling crowded. I have been feeling overwhelmed by work, crowded in my home environment, my personal life, relationships, and in my mind.
It's time to make room!
I am setting the intention to clear the clutter - an attempt to reduce the feeling of crowdedness and busyness and to allow myself to start experiencing more peace and calm in my life.
My focus is not to be so preoccupied with things that are not serving me and to minimize the distractions that detract from creativity and productivity.
This will be a creative process in removing "things" to make room. It will require time, patience, commitment, and frequent reminders of why this is important to me. I hope that with each intention of "making room" in every area of my life, that it will allow me to find more time to spend with those I care about; that I can dedicate more time to the creative part of my business; that I will feel like I have more living space in my home, and that I feel more clarity, mentally.
I will share more about how I am doing this over the next 12 months.
While I realize that there is value in setting goals - goals are not achieved on their own. Intentions are like the life partner to our goals. Intentions give us a daily rhythm, motivation and accountability to help reach our overall goals.
Before the turn of the new decade, I encourage you to start thinking about what intentions will support your goals and help you as you transition into this new year.
What do you have your sights set on for 2020?
Wishing you a very Happy New Year!
With love and intention,
Martina Kelades
Martina Kelades, Founder Life Out Loud
Martina has over 10 years’ professional experience working as a Personal Development Counsellor and Instructor and holds a diploma in Social Services (Addictions Counselling concentration) from the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC), as well as a BA (Hons) in Psychology from Mount St. Vincent University. In addition to her education, Martina is a certified and active Mental Health First Aid trainer, a national, certificate, training course through the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
