I just spent a week with a dear friend whose mom gave her a notepad with the header "#goals." We laughed about it, especially when our grocery list was on there and it looked like taco ingredients were her #goals. But I think she's onto something. She moves through the world with her goals in mind-- whether professional, personal, or athletic-- with an inspiring amount of consideration and purpose. Emulating that quality is definitely a #goal of mine.
In many ways, my lifestyle makes me move with intention every few months. Seasonal work forces me to ask myself the same few questions three times per year: what will be fulfilling, stimulating, and promote growth for me next season? How much do I want to work? What are my priorities? How do I want to balance time with my partner, sisters, friends, and students? There's space for complacency too (like in any other job), but more than other careers I get to re-evaluate and have input as to where I'll be and what I'll be doing every four months.
I love that. And I love that I'm surrounded by others who move through the world with intention and seasonal deliberateness. I love that I get to be the author of my story, instead of a victim of my surroundings.
I don't love the word or idea of a "resolution"-- implicit is the notion that we need to "resolve" or settle something unsettled. I am not incomplete or defective. I am whole and growing and broken all at once. I do love the idea of intention-- of thinking and acting and speaking with thoughtfulness and purpose. Writing is the right medium for me because editing is 90% of the process. Being intentional as opposed to impulsive is definitely something I'm still learning and will continue to work on for the rest of my life. It's a good thing I'm so flexible because I often sit or stand with my foot in my mouth. The medical definition of intention is "the healing process of a wound," which also fits. The idea of gently working towards optimal function.
We're now nearly a week into the second year of the month. For me there's something powerful in putting my thoughts to paper (screen?) in order to hold myself accountable. For the past few months I've set intentions at the start (including saying Rabbit Rabbit), and do my best to move towards that purpose over the following four weeks.
This February, I decided that 1. I will be published twice. Any public forum works. 2. I will meditate 10 minutes/day. and 3. I will continue to simplify by selling and giving away belongings and limiting plastic in my life. There is looseleaf spinach in rural Wyoming, and we don't have to buy non-recyclable clamshells!
So far so good, but I've got three more weeks of this month to keep working and dancing towards these three. I'll take all the time I can get.