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It’s always around this time of year when we all tend to get a little reflective. A little hopeful. And a lot determined. We tend to recap our previous year, wrap it up in a little box, discard, and then focus on planning for the upcoming year.

2013 was a great year. A year full of learning and growing. I accomplished everything I set out to accomplish, and more. I did some serious introspection this year – sitting down with myself and figuring out what I wanted to do professionally. Making moves. Changes.

My first three weeks in this new role at Adobe have been wonderful. I’ve gone home almost every evening feeling like my brain has reached capacity. Sometimes unable to complete actual sentences. But I feel impassioned. I feel reignited. I feel like I am 100-percent in the right place, right now.

This past week, during the holiday break, I thought a bit about “resolutions.” I thought about what I want to accomplish in 2014, the things I want to do, the places I want to go, the people I want to spend time with. I read several blog posts outlining plans and goals. Lose weight. Eat healthier. Travel.

Chances are, these plans and goals will be long forgotten by the end of January.

I’m a planner. A goal-setter. I enjoy identifying what I want to accomplish and then accomplishing it. But, I’m a SMART goal-setter. Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. “Lose weight” doesn’t mean anything. Neither does setting goals for the entire year on January 1.

That doesn’t negate the importance of reflecting on the previous year and identifying things we liked and things we didn’t. And moving forward.

I didn’t create resolutions, although I do have SMART goals for the month of January (if you know me, this is probably not a surprise). But instead of jumping on the usual resolution bandwagon, I reflected on the past year and thought about what I want more and less of in 2014.

More intention.
I want to spend my time with intention, watch television, write, use technology, read, work, with intention. Everything I do, I want there to be intention behind it. Even if the intention is to be lazy or to do nothing.

Less mindlessness.
It’s easy to get stuck in routines. To play Candy Crush on the bus instead of reading. To watch hours of Law & Order “because it’s on.” I want to eliminate some of the mindlessness.

More spontaneity. 
I want to not always have every little thing planned. To be relaxed and comfortable with the idea of being spontaneous. To learn to enjoy it.

Less anxiety.
I want to focus on not letting the little things get to me, rile me up, ruin my day. I want to “be a duck,” as my dad says – let things roll off my back. I want to realize that not everything can get done in one day, and that’s okay. I want to take steps back, regularly, and look at the big picture. To not get lost and overwhelmed in details.

More patience.
I want to practice more patience in every aspect of my life. More patience with the MUNI, more patience with tourists in Union Square, more patience in line at the grocery store, more patience with my boyfriend, my cats, my family. Take deep breaths and be patient.

Less crap.
I want to put less crap in my body. I want to eliminate clutter in my life. Get rid of cable, clean out my closet, eat consciously, get rid of the stuff I don’t need or want in my life.

More time.
I want to choose how I spend my time carefully (with intention – see above). I want to use apps and services (like getting my house cleaned or my groceries delivered) to help me save time. I want to spend time getting organized so I can save time later. I want to spend more time with my family, more time with my friends (virtually or in person), more time with my boyfriend, more time writing and reading, and more time  with myself.

I’m looking forward to 2014. I can feel it’s going to be a good, good year.

 

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