Goals + Intentions
I think it’s safe to say that we may not have accomplished all of our 2020 goals exactly in the way that we had hoped. Right? Can we agree on that? If you are currently on the ground laughing (ahem, crying) hysterically, yes, I get it. This is probably the understatement of the century.
Still! Just because there is sooooo much that’s unknown and out of our control doesn’t mean we can’t work with goals and intentions. I could argue that goals and intentions are more important than ever, since these days it's soooo easy to feel like you’re flailing wildly about or want to hide under the covers waiting for it all to go away (both of those activities are 100% valid, btw.)
How can we find goals and intentions to support us as we transition into 2021? Things that will make us feel Good not Bad? A goal doesn’t have to mean setting an impossible standard that you can never live up to. What about a compassionate, loving goal and intention that helps guide your process, filter out what's not working, and focuses on what sustains you? Just because the world is fucked doesn’t mean our life stops. That said, our lives have changed drastically, and it’s important to keep that in mind when thinking about goals and intentions.
What are goals and intentions anyway? How are they the same or different? Goals are extremely useful in CREATING A PLAN. A goal is an external measure, something you can work backwards from. If your goal is to write a book, you can work backwards and figure out quarterly, monthly, weekly, and even daily action items that will lead you to that overarching goal. Maybe the first step is to sign up for a class, find a writing group, or write 500 words a day. Then the goal for this month could be to write the first chapter, form an outline, or settle on a genre. Even if you don’t end up reaching the overarching goal within a specific amount of time (say, a year) you will have taken so many steps on the path that you'll be in a completely different place with the process. You will grow and learn along the way, and will likely be at least close to the goal or have a lot more information about how to get there. Amazing! A goal helps us implement actions into our lives that help us along our path.
Intention is a more internal tool, and one that moves you forward. Instead of working backwards to discover action items and create framework, an intention is a seed you plant within and return to as needed. Intentions for me are more focused on how I want to be. Maybe my intention is to simplify; then when I’m feeling stressed or at loose ends, I can return to that intention and center myself on it. If I’m making a choice, I can easily see which one fits with my intention. This can range from every choices like getting dressed and deciding what to make for dinner to bigger decisions such as focusing my creative work on fewer projects that I will tend to with more depth. If I set myself up with an intention, my life starts to align itself towards it.
Intentions and goals are similar and linked, but in a way they are opposite. One works from the outside in, the other from the inside out. Neither are hard and fast measures to discern our value by how well we achieve or embody them. Both are designed as a tool for self guidance, so we have a bit more of an understanding of what’s important to us, what to focus on, and how to get in alignment with our purpose.
How do you think about goals and intentions? How has that changed or evolved in the last year? What are some of your goals and intentions for 2021?
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Goals and Intentions to Guide your Transition to 2021
Reflect on your experience of 2020 and create loving, aligned goals to guide your journey into 2021.
An intuitive goal and intention setting session to help guide you into 2021 with self love, awareness, and clarity. A tarot reading to help unpack and process what you’ve been through, where you are now, and how to think about the future.