I have a hard time with New Year’s resolutions.
There is one part of me that loves the idea of reflecting upon the year passed and setting goals and resolutions for the upcoming year. It’s all very action plan like – and I like plans and checklists and lists in general. I know, shocking.
There is another part of me that doesn’t love the idea of New Year’s resolutions and goals. Often, what happens at the end of the year is that I’m overcome with a huge list of should-have-dones which then results in an overly ambitious list of resolutions for the new year, often made on New Year’s Eve (ahem) and that haven’t been set intentionally. Resolutions feel like they are set in stone (even if just in my head) and don’t offer enough flexibility to account for a myriad of circumstances that may arise during the year (like a little torn ligament).
For 2012, I decided to set four surf-related goals. Seemed simple enough but who knew that I would be out of the water for over a year (and counting), that I would rediscover my love for running, and that yoga would be what I need right now. Priorities and life circumstances shifted and so did the focus of my year.
2012 = Acceptance
That’s the word that comes to mind when I think back on 2012. Acceptance often has a negative connotation but I don’t mean Acceptance as in just passively accepting what’s been handed to me. I mean, accepting the things that came my way and learning from those experiences – growing from those experiences.
For someone who can be a perfectionist and who likes things to go as planned, it was a big deal to just stop and pause before acting (most of the time). It was a big deal that I didn’t completely fall apart before, during and after my knee surgery and that I was OK with the fact that recovery took much longer than I expected. It was a big deal to begin to set more purposeful intentions for my actions and to #makeitcount. It was a big deal to step back and let my kids struggle, grow and find their own identities.
2013 = Intention
I’m taking a page from my friend Lindsay’s book - to do something about one thing this year and to pick one word to focus on.
My word is Intention.
I love this quote from Bruce Black that my friend Martha uncovered: “Setting your intention is like drawing an arrow from the quiver of your heart.”
That’s what I want my year to focus on – connecting my head and my heart.
- Setting a goal and purpose focused on the here and now, the present
- Doing things for a reason and not just for the sake of doing them
- Creating from my heart and the soul, tapping into my passions, loves and interests
- Reflecting my heart’s desire
- Being mindful and conscientious in my actions and thoughts and in how I nourish my body
- Connecting every day actions with my larger vision and goals
Of course, I still have a long list of goals and dreams for the year and I will be pursuing them all with intention.
What’s your word for 2013? Do you set New Year’s resolutions?
Happy New Year!
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I love this! I too was so inspired by Cotter Crunch… I will tell you what I told Lindsay, mine is two words… “stop thinking”. xoxo
Lisa @ RunWiki recently posted..Looking Back and Looking Forward… The Art of Transition
ladies, you both inspire me! Stop thinking, intention, and nurture. Are words. I think, no I know we can embrace them.
Thank you for supporting! and Christine, you my friend are gonna have a fabulous 2013!
lindsay recently posted..Not your Average Pancake Breakfast
You are absolutely right – those we can definitely embrace those words. definitely the direction that I am being pulled towards lately. Happy New Year my friends!
Enjoy the New Year and success in all of your endeavors!
Danica
Danica Martin recently posted..New Year’s Eve
Thank you Danica! Happy New Year to you too!
I LOVE this!! I’m definitely going to have to think about my word for this year. I would say last year was BLESSING!
Fancy Nancy recently posted..Monday Motivation
Absolutely BEAUTIFUL! Love the pics and quote. I too am setting a word to follow for the year. Mine is BALANCE. Good luck to you in all you do in 2013!
Angela @ Happy Fit Mama recently posted..New Year, New Goals
I dont have a word this year—BUT I DO HAVE A COMMITMENT.
lets keep each other accountable.
Miz recently posted..STOP REREADING!
I love your commitment and yes to accountability.
I do like your one word. I wish you the best of luck!
My one word is ‘DO’. And I have a whole post about that next week
Happy New Year!
Alison recently posted..Happy Holidays!
Oh, I love that choice of word Alison. Do – that’s the other half of intention, isn’t it? I can’t wait to read your post. Happy New Year to you!
I’ve been seeing talk of people selecting a word for 2013 and It took me a while to realize what I kept being drawn to the most – ‘open’. I want to be open to life, open to experiences, open with myself … I feel like I’ve been living scared or closed off for some time now and I’m tired of it!
Erica { EricaDHouse.com } recently posted..Recipe for the perfect weekend
That’s such a great word Erica and great reflection. Yes, here’s to being more open in 2013!
I am so with you….No resolutions for me…just living in the present and enjoying life for everything it has to offer
Kierston recently posted..Little Things Monday #3: New Year’s Edition
Cheers to living in the present and embracing and enjoying life!
Acceptance- what a great word! I love this message- to take whatever we’re given and make the best of it, and I especially love your intention to be more present. Happy new year!!
Laura @ Mommy Run Fast recently posted..Kicking off the Virtual Race series with a $100 giftcard giveaway
Thanks Laura. When I looked back on the year, I was actually pretty shocked at how well I did with welcoming and accepting what came my way instead of freaking out or stressing about it (my usual course of action). And I’m really excited about this year and the possibilities it offers.
I love that you can look at 2012 as a year of acceptance–that is such an adult thing to do! And I also like intention. You have a great plan ahead of you and I like this approach more than the typical resolutions. Great job!
misszippy recently posted..Character builder
I think that I might finally be growing up
I love the idea of intention and for understanding the ‘why” behind creating goals. As I have a number of decisions to make ahead of me, I am going to hold this thought close to my heart. Happy New Year, my friend!
ilene recently posted..Finding The Fire
I realized that that was the missing piece for me – really understanding the why behind the things I was doing. If I didn’t understand why or at least connect with the why, I would be apt to put it off or do it half heartedly. I want to fearlessly pursue my goals and dreams! Happy new year to you too!
I ADORE the concept of intention — utterly and truly ADORE it. I try very hard to live with intention in all that I do…and even if I don’t quite make it there every time, it’s my goal, something to aim for. I LOVE this as your mantra for 2013 — get after it my friend!!
Jess recently posted..Community: (re)defined
Thank you my friend. You do inspire me to live my life more intentionally. I’m really excited to see what 2013 has in store and I intend to get after it!
My word is “truth;” the truth of who I am, who I want to be, what I want to create, what I want to contribute.
I think the other key to resolutions is having a plan for achieving them. It’s not enough to make a declaration, you have to have a strategy and plan for achieving them that involve daily, weekly, monthly actions in support of your intentions.
Here’s to a great 2013!
Jonathan Aluzas recently posted..3 Tips for Keeping Fitness Resolutions in 2013
I love the idea behind the word truth and how your perspective on it. I think for more, a big part of choosing to act with intention this year is to get at that truth and to make sure I’m connecting my head, heart and body. Now that I have my focus, I’m working on the more concrete stuff – the goals, strategy and plan to get me where I want to go.
Happy New Year and can’t wait to see what 2013 has in store for you!
This is beautiful! Mine will be kindness, 2013 is a time to step back a little and spend additional time on giving back.
abbi recently posted..2012 in 2012: A Look Back
Thank you Abbi. Kindness is a great word and focus for the year.
Wonderful post! I’ve never really thought of acceptance as a negative word. It’s harder for someone to accept certain things than not.
I can’t wait to see how 2013 turns out for you as you move forward with intention.
Carli recently posted..Menu Plan Monday: Week of 12/31/12
Thank you Carli!
Great post and I love your word. For 2012 my words were “Bear Down” but for 2013 I guess it would be persevere. Lots to push through this year but at the end, I should be coming out a better person
katie recently posted..Wordless Monday: Christmas Vacation
Thanks Katie. I have no doubt that you will come out a better person at the end of the year.
LOVE your word choice!! I did the same thing, one word! (my post tomorrow). Intention for 2013. And your word for 2012, acceptance – that is a huge one, and you learned so much this year, and you taught me so much in terms of being humbled in being ABLE to workout. You went through a long recovery but now are better, stronger and smarter than ever. XO!
jobo recently posted..2012…the highlights reel.
Acceptance of everything that came my way in 2012 was huge. I felt like I was finally starting to grow up because I didn’t get completely stressed or upset or throw a tantrum
I didn’t really realize how big of a factor that was until I started to look back on the year. So…I guess that whole knee thing was a good thing? 
Fun how this is catching on! Hadn’t seen Linday’s post yet.
Good for you – INTENTION – a very strong word… hope you are inspired all year long!
Elle recently posted..So Long 2012…
Thanks Elle!
Acceptance and intention – fabulous things to focus on. My 2012 word was clarity. For 2013, I’m focusing on self-worth: going to spoil myself a bit in the coming year! Happy new year!!
Alicia at Poise in Parma recently posted..How I Found Clarity in 2012 (a very simple recap)
I love that you are focusing on self-worth and spoiling yourself. We all need to do that.
I love your goal word for 2013. So many ways to put in into practice and I think the benefits will spill over into many, surprising facets of your life.
My word this year is balance. I think it might also have been what I was working towards last year, without as much success as I would have liked. Balance between work and family, balance between online and real life relationships, physical balance via strengthening my core and working towards prevent future injuries.
Thanks for sharing this post today.
Tamara recently posted..Review, reflect and move forward | 5 lessons from 2012
Thank you Tamara. Yes, there are so many different ways to apply “intention” to my life – same with balance. And yes! Let’s work on preventing future injuries please!
Much like you I’d like to do things with intent next year! Nothing is on accident! Happy new year to you, 2013 will be super awesome for ya I feel it
Kat recently posted..Sad to say goodbye to 2012!
Thanks Kat and Happy New Year!
Love this post! I’ve got a post about setting intentions for 2013 sitting in my drafts folder that I need to finish.
Lori Ugly Runner Feet recently posted..The 2012 that was and the 2013 that will (hopefully) be! Part 2
Yes! Finish that post. I’d love to read it.
Absolutely fabulous post! I have been doing the word thing for a couple of years. I think acceptance could have been my word for 2012 too. I am 100% with you on it not being negative because it was a big thing of growth for me as well to not flip out when things didn’t go “as planned”. Although I still say I hope we both have better years in 2013 when it comes to things like injury.
Tina @ Best Body Fitness recently posted..Not Moving It Monday: Giving In, Not Giving Up
I felt like I was finally growing up when I didn’t stress out or get upset when something didn’t go as planned. However, next time, I would prefer to learn that lesson without having to sustain a major injury
Here’s to a happy, healthy and injury-free 2012!
Oops. I mean 2013
Love it. I think that’s a beautiful way to walk into the new year
Divya @ Eat.Teach.Blog. recently posted..Highlights of 2012
Thank you Divya and Happy New Year!
I am totally a perfectionist and a planner, and definitely like things going to plan. I know I need to relax when it comes to letting things just happen, and although I’ve not set my (small) list of resolutions, that will factor in some where. That, and attending a yoga class Monday nights with my husband
Good luck following your heart!
Danielle recently posted..A first and My Christmas List
Thank you Danielle. It was a HUGE step for me to let things roll off my back more and to be more willing to adjust. Not that I wasn’t flexible before but I think that I would just stress out a lot more and worry about all those things that I didn’t have control over and couldn’t change. I realized that just wasted a lot of my energy. I love that you’ll be going to yoga with your husband! I wish that I could get mine to go with me.
I love that first pic. Very beautiful! And your word is just perfect. What a fun idea to have a New Year’s word!
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table recently posted..Junk-Free January + Polar FT4
Thanks Laura!
I love this!!! Such a great idea and Inwill definitely try to incorporate that idea into my life for the next year and long after. Thanks for the post!
Marielle recently posted..Happy 2013
Thank you Marielle!
Nice! Intention is a great word. My word for the year is BALANCE, as in balance work and life!
TriGirl recently posted..Here’s Lookin’ at You, 2012: a year in review
Love that word!
I love your word for 2013. Sounds like you had a challenging 2012 that went in a bit of a different direction than planned, but that you made the most of it. Acceptance can definitely be hard, and in my case usually follows denial! I, too, am learning to step back and allow my kids to work things out for themselves without mom always stepping in. It’s hard! Good luck to you in 2013.
Alison @ racingtales recently posted..Forging my Own Path
haha. Yes! Acceptance usually does follow denial! Stepping back as a parent and letting my kids figure it out is one of the hardest things. I want to swoop in but I know that they need to learn to develop those skills for themselves and figure out how to handle challenges.
Happy New Year!!! Beautiful word choice and post!!! Hete’s to a great year for you!
Jess recently posted..Happy New Year!
Thanks Jess and Happy New Year to you too!
I think I like that. Intention. Simple and perfect. Best to you and your family in the New Year!
Michelle recently posted..My First Scrapbook Page – Tutorial, Simply.
Thanks Michelle. I kept coming back to that word over and over. Happy New Year to you and your family too!
Intention is a great word, and I love the story behind Acceptance.
Laura recently posted..Top 10 Favorite Quotes from my kids in 2012
Thanks Laura!
Wowsers–that’s a lot of comments! Stopping by from Mama Kat’s, and I also love that first picture! The word you selected is wonderful, and I enjoyed reading about how you’re going to approach the new year. namaste and happy new year to you!
Wombat Central recently posted..SERENITY NOW!
Thank you so much and happy new year to you too!