My Word For 2023: Intentional

It’s that glittering time of year when we, as a collective, get to come together to celebrate all we’ve accomplished within the past year and embrace the newfound inspiration that comes with a fresh start. I know one of my favorite New Year’s Eve traditions is to choose a “word of the year” that symbolizes the intention I want to set for the next 365 days. Last year, my word was focus. I chose this word mostly to enhance my career endeavors as I began designing new programs to serve my clients at a higher level – and it served me (and them) well!

This year, I’m shifting more towards a lifestyle transformation with the word “intentional.” Oftentimes life gets so busy between work, family, and other obligations that we can begin to feel like puddy being stretched in a thousand different directions. While we may be able to successfully balance our attention being diverted like this for some time, eventually something ends up falling short or even worse, we may become subject to burnout. And who wants to start a brand new year feeling tired and depleted?

Living with intentionality helps to dissipate the distractions and recenter on what’s most important to you. Making decisions and taking action from a place of intentionality is clear and concise, as opposed to frantic and chaotic. It also helps to empower our sense of self, find confidence in our ability to make decisions, and discover more alignment on a daily basis…now THIS is how I want to start a brand new year! How about you?

While there are many customized ways to live intentionally that can accommodate your specific goals, there are a few tips that will help guide your process. If you want to join me on the journey to living more intentionally, check out the starting points.

• Reflect on your core values. Daily distractions can keep us from truly listening to our authentic selves and prevent us from structuring our lives in ways that are fulfilling to our core values. Take some time before the start of the new year to make a list of your core values and rank them based on priority. Keep this list with you somewhere you’ll see it regularly – at your desk, in your wallet, taped to your bathroom mirror– to remind yourself of what’s important for when the days start to get hectic.

• Create a nourishing morning routine. The best way to set yourself up for a successful day is to start it the right way…whatever that looks like for you! This is a no-pressure zone, free of 5 am Club signup sheets. Rather, this is an opportunity to be honest with yourself about what will promote a peaceful pace to your day. For some this may be getting outside and taking a walk. For others it could be meditating and journaling. Maybe for you it’s making an aromatic cup of coffee while reading a good book in bed. Whatever feels refreshing and motivates you in the direction of your dreams should become an integral part of your morning routine.

• Declutter. We’re talking a total reassessment here– your physical environment, relationships, social platforms, mindset….all of it. Every one of these spaces, whether we’re aware of it or not, consume the majority of our time and energy, and if we have an abundance of clutter, this can become a major energy leak. Calendar a time to go through your belongings and donate or throw away anything you’re no longer using. Clear out and unsubscribe from junk emails that clog up your inbox. Remove emotionally draining materials like old photos and text threads that you find yourself dwelling on. Set boundaries with loved ones who mean well but have been draining you of your energy. Set daily affirmations to recite each morning to reprogram any negative recurring thoughts that are currently living rent-free in your mind. All of these decluttering practices will make you feel much more revitalized and open up the space to invite in new opportunities.

With these 3 tips you can begin putting forth the framework to live more intentionally. I’m working on these steps now and can’t wait to see what progress comes as I introduce these habits into my daily life. Come join me over on Instagram at @creditjeanne to share your own word of the year and progress points if you choose to join me in intentional living – I love a good accountability partner! Sending you much love, happiness, and success in the year to come.

xoxo

Jeanne