An Intentional Life

An Intentional Life

Intentional living is the art of making our own choices before others’ choices make us. — Richie Norton

As you all know, my word for 2019 – focus – made a huge impact on my life. I do not want to lose that in 2020, so I spent a good bit of time thinking about where I wanted to go.

Words like purpose and intention kept turning up in the most curious ways. I spent some time “trying on” these words and as I began to plan where I wanted to go in 2020, it became clear that intentional was the path I wanted to travel.

Miriam-Webster defines intentional as something “done by intention or design.”

I have spent a year honing my focus and I have some good habits to show for it! This year I plan to be more intentional in all things…making, reading, and yes… living! And I am very excited to embark on this new journey – a journey of my own making!

Finally, I would like to take a moment to thank Juliann for her brilliant hosting this year! Without her initiative, I am not sure that I would have had as much success this year as I did!

What about you? Did you choose a word for 2020? Please join Honoré and share your word!

Photo by Nubia Navarro (nubikini) from Pexels

A Year of Focus | 2019

A Year of Focus | 2019

What you stay focused on will grow. — Roy T. Bennett

December is drawing to a close and so is my word for 2019 and I confess, I am sad to see it end! I started with an idea of how focus would change me and over the year my word took me on a much better journey than I ever imagined!

Your life is controlled by what you focus on. — Tony Robbins

At times during the year, I lost my focus but I learned how to refocus and how to improve my focus. I learned what was important to focus on. And, more importantly – what was not important to focus on.

Always remember, your focus determines your reality. — George Lucas

But even as I join with Juliann to put my word away for 2019 and make space for a new word, focus has become a permanent part of me! A part that will continue to adjust my days – and it will influence the New Year and my new word!

You can revisit my yearlong exploration of focus:

Photo by Sindre Strøm from Pexels

A Gratitude Focus | November 2019

A Gratitude Focus | November 2019

I am joining Juliann and friends to share my word – Focus.

I started the month off strong with Michelle’s Gratitude Week – her reminders were so perfect and in hindsight, it turns out that start was crucial to surviving a very challenged month for me.

I am grateful that my normal focus carried me through the month – being in the moment, focusing on right now and moving. Bad days are infinitely better when you move your body and get outside for a brisk walk. Fresh air really clears out the doldrums and it is hard to do anything but focus on Pilates when you are doing Pilates!

Add to that my usual knitting focus – and making some impromptu gifts really helped as well. I also learned that rhythmic knitting (read mindless stockinette) sometimes allows you to dwell on problems – but seed stitch keeps you focused on those knits and purls and not on worrisome thinking!

And all of those things have helped me to stay in the moment rather than being consumed by worry beyond that moment. And for that I am holding on to those tiny bits of gratitude.

Photo by Irina Iriser from Pexels

Autumnal Focus | October 2019

Autumnal Focus | October 2019

Happily joining Juliann to share how I did with focus in October!

Maintaining my focus has become part of me – it is something that I think about each day and life is absolutely improved because of it. I have never had such amazing success with a word, and it is causing me to begin the process of thinking about where I should go from here.

Yes, I have begun focusing on my word for next year. Why? Because I have learned that all things are a process and sometimes that process is not quick. I want to continue with the impact that focus has had for me this year! However, that process did not diminished my focus in October.

I have savored the days – appreciating the longer shadows, the changing colors, and the shifting temperatures.

I have found a good rhythm of moving my body even when its raining or I don’t really feel like it. I might even say that moving has become a habit and that feels so good!

This month I also did something profoundly different in my reading – I took almost the entire month to read, ponder, and make notes about Just Mercy. Honestly, I am not sure I could have read this book any other way – it needed pauses and lots of thought. But, that process has me thinking about making a change in how I read…I am not sure I would want to do that with every book I read, but maybe? It is absolutely something I am sitting with and tumbling about in my brain.

And, that was how I focused in October!

Moving Focus | September 2019

Moving Focus | September 2019

Joining with Juliann today to share how I did with my word in September.

It was a good month, perhaps the best month yet for my focus. At times it felt like I was moving at a snail’s pace, but if you watch a snail – even though it moves slowly, it does move, and so did I!

My focus this month was to move my body more…AND not let all the other things I have worked on getting into focus to become out of focus.

I think I managed to do that fairly well – not perfectly, but good enough that it feels like I have figured it out and it is beginning to feel like a routine *again*!

My list of accomplishments this month might not have lots of “visible things” in the completed column – but sometimes the things that only you can see are the ones that make the biggest impact on your life!

What about you? How did you do with your word this month?

Photo by invisiblepower from Pexels

In Focus

In Focus

I am joining with Juliann and friends to share an update on my word!

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus. – Alexander Graham Bell

The journey to a more focused life took a dramatic turn this month and I believe I have last month’s lack of focus to thank for this revelation!

I learned that sometime s in order to focus, I need to put blinders on and focus entirely on the thing at hand in order to be successful. It’s not that the other things are not there, but “focused multi-tasking” is truly an oxymoron! Yep, I stopped myself from multi-tasking this month and it made a huge difference in my days!

I accomplished more by being focused. I gained more by being focused. I heard more by being focused.

And, it felt so good!

As I head into the last quarter of the year, I feel like I finally get it, and this is showing in so many things! My daily list is more focused, and I have a new list, an “in waiting list” which is the list where I put things that I want to get done, but not just yet – not today and maybe not tomorrow, and that’s okay! I don’t have to keep thinking about them because they are written down – waiting their turn!

I am so happy for a  very focused August and I am excited to continue what I learned in September!

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