Your Magenta Monday Magic.
Last week I shared how I had conflated my goals with my intentions.
And I DON’T recommend it.
Why?
Because the nature of goals is that you either make it, or you don’t.
Emmanuel Acho talks about this in his book Illogical. Saying Yes to a Life without Limits. He is a former football player, and has since become a motivational speaker and bestselling author.
He talks about how many times he was crushed because he set a goal, and then didn’t achieve it. The damage that caused to his self-confidence and self-esteem was far greater and set him back further than if he had never set a goal in the first place.
I 100% agree. That’s why I am a firm believer in not setting New Year’s resolutions.
Yes, you heard me right.
How many times have you set a resolution to lose 10 lbs? Or to save ____ amount of money by the end of the year? Or get a new job by June 1st?
Yeah, welcome to the club.
Some estimates are that by the end of the year, 91% of us don’t actually meet our New Year’s resolutions.
Why not?
I believe it’s because resolutions are fixed and rigid. You either meet them or you don’t.
If you have one cookie on your way to losing 10 lbs, you feel so defeated you eat the whole box and your resolution is out the window in a tornado of shame.
(or is that just me? 😕😬🙄)
‘So Bridget, how do you create a life you love?’
Well, this is where intentions really shine. (*cue heroic music*)
The great thing about intentions is that they transcend all areas of your life. It’s not just about your health or your finances. It’s how you want to feel in all aspects of your life.
We’ve talked about a few of these in the past couple of weeks - love, joy, fun, and connection.
Think about how many areas in your life you find love - with your kids, your spouse or partner, your parents, your friends, your pets. Love is everywhere - there are so many opportunities to get more of it into your life!
What about joy? You can find joy in long walks on the beach, watching a beautiful sunset, laughing with girlfriends, or reading a book.
And fun? Don’t get me started….
You get the picture.
These feelings are all around us. All we need to do is notice them and take steps to create more opportunities to experience them.
That’s it!
So this week, you get to put the pedal to the metal by picking your intention for the year.
Monday Mindshift
It’s the 1° shift that makes the biggest difference over time.
A Visioning and Feeling Activity
This exercise will help you hone in on your 2023 intentions by gaining clarity on what you want more of in your life.
1) Begin by closing your eyes. Sit somewhere quiet and take 2 or 3 deep, cleansing, audible breaths. In through your nose…filling your lungs…and release with a loud cleansing whoosh!
2) Envision what you want your life to look like 5 years from now.
Who’s with you?
What are you doing?
Where are you?
3) Now, pretend you are in that moment and imagine what that vision feels like as if it were happening today…right now. This is the critical piece!
Do you feel Joyful? Fulfilled? Connected? Loved? What do you see? What do you smell and taste? Imagine the warmth of a smooth hand in yours, or the sound of the waves lapping against the hot, sandy, white beach. Can you feel the warmth of the sun on your face? Imagine the feeling of sand between your toes?
4) Finally, select one word to focus on that sums up your vision and the feeling.
Choose a word that transcends all areas of your life. Words like gratitude, freedom, flow, allow, connection, love, joy, abundance, and inspiration can apply to ANY area of your life such as your relationships, job, home, travel, health, etc. The key is to FEEL it.
And, at the end of the day, you are the only one who knows what you want and what will make you happy. Trust your instincts if they’re leading you in a certain direction.
One thing you will come to realize is that no matter what stories your mind has been telling up until now, your gut will always be (sometimes irritatingly) honest.
Love,
PS. I’d love to hear what activities you did to connect to your intentions! I invite you to share your thoughts and ideas with us in Thriving Mom’s Collective FB Group!
Living BRIGHTer is...
B - Be Brave
R - Cultivate Relationships
I - Live with Intention
G - Practice Gratitude
H - Prioritize Health
T - Live your Truth
What is Magenta?
The color magenta is one of universal harmony and emotional balance. It is spiritual yet practical, encouraging common sense and a balanced outlook on life. Magenta helps to create harmony and balance in every aspect of life; physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
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