Photo (and target practice) by ElvenTiger

Intentions, Goals, and Gratitude, Oh My!
by Starcat

Now you’re determined to follow your passions and do what you love. You’re charged up and ready to have some fun and share your unique contributions with the world. Yay for you! Know that we’re here for you and want to help support you as you move forward.

Here are a few more ideas to help you stay on target:

Craft an intention. Having an intention keeps you focused on the things that are most important to you. Your intention will be unique to your life and situation. It might be to have more fun every day, to be a good role model to your kids by doing what you love, or to create a new career. Write or type up your intention and post it somewhere you’ll see it each day.

Set goals that help motivate you. Using your intention as the foundation, create goals that will help keep you moving forward. Try not to make them so huge that they feel out of reach. The best goals are “S.M.A.R.T.” ones: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. An example from this writer’s life: “I will finish the revisions of the novel by June 21st and e-mail the completed draft to 4 readers.” Sometimes even goals like that one need to be further broken down into smaller steps, so you know what to do each day to make progress toward your goal. Experiment with the ways that work best for you.

Focus on gratitude. Keeping your focus on the things you already love about your life will help bring more of them to the forefront. As you do your thing, celebrate how much fun you’re having! Each evening before you go to sleep, list at least 3 things you’re thankful for from your day. A regular practice of gratitude takes the focus away from problems and puts it on what’s right in your life, which gives you the motivation for fostering more joy.

Stay present. Be in the moment as much as you can, especially when you’re doing what you love. Breathe in the sensations and let them nourish you. Store up those joyful energies and carry them with you into other parts of your life.

Keep practicing. Practice is a key component to living the life of your dreams. Just like playing an instrument, creating and sustaining new habits takes practice, too. Don’t worry if you fall into old patterns, like getting “too busy” to do what you love. Forgive yourself and simply start again, and over time you’ll integrate it fully into your life. Practice paying as much attention to your needs as you do those of your loved ones.

What are your intentions and goals from this day forward? How will you nurture yourself and find ways to integrate your passions into your daily life? Leave a comment below and share your commitment to enhancing your joy and purpose!