Brainstorming 2022 Intentions

Entering this new year from a place of gratitude and abundance will help me lay a foundation of self-compassion.

My “Word of the Year” is **self-compassion.**

This is my meditation for the year. It is by Jasmine Marie, founder of ‘black girls breathing’

My 12 Resolutions for 2022 were picked to nurture, feed and grow my emotions to broaden my life as it grows shorter as I age. These intentions are chunked into tasks.

I will transform my resolutions into intentions which will be used to set and prioritize clear, reachable, ***S.M.A.R.T.E.R. goals and chunked into tasks.

1. I will filter all that I see through a lens of love and kindness.

Express gratitude at some point every single day.
I will Shine App check-in to list daily gratitudes.
I will use Headspace All to meditate daily.
I will talk over the high points of my day with my wife.
I will beginning each day with love, grace and gratitude
I will find balance between “want” and “must”.

2. I will choose kindness.

My sensitivity will be a super power.

3. I will honor and cherish my body.

**Alison Bechdel** explores in ***The Secret to Superhuman Strength***(*public library*)

I will focus on doing things with immediate payoffs like improved mood and energy level as my motivation.
I will be active throughout the day.
I will do three 10-minute bouts of exercise scattered throughout the day.
I will keep trying different types of exercise until I find an activity or workout routine that makes me happy.
I will try high-intensity interval training (HIIT).HIIT is a training style that involves periods of exercising intensely with an elevated heart rate alternated with recovery periods.
I will use strength training increase my body’s muscle mass to increases my overall metabolic rate.
I will eat at more protein.
I will take the stairs.
I will drink more water.
I will drink a full glass of water before bed.
I will drink 3 full glasses of water when I get up in the morning.
I will get more 7 to 8 hours a sleep every night.
I will learn how to floss properly.
I will weigh one a week.
I will stretch in the morning. And maybe in the evening.
If I am going less than a mile, I will walk.
I will think about my posture: and not slouch, or cross my legs.
I will learn how to breathe deeply: in through the nose, out through the mouth, making the exhale longer than the inhale.
I may buy a bike and use it. And learn how to fix it, too.
I will log my meals.
I will get at least 10,000 steps most days.

4. I will live with absolute aliveness by my own standards.

I will set aside 10 minutes a day to do something I really enjoy
I will design my journey every step of the way.
I will remember that not being “OK” all the time is normal.
I will set a 30-Day Experiment of getting out of bed at 6 am.

5. I will choose courage.

I will embrace new opportunities.
I will develop a willingness to accept and grow through times of difficulty and discomfort.
I will learn the difference between giving up and starting over in the right direction.

6. I will cultivate relationships.

“Real isn’t how you are made… It’s a thing that happens to you.” Maurice Sendak’s little-known 1960 illustrationsfor *The Velveteen Rabbit*.

I will spend time with kind people who are smart, driven and likeminded.
I will surround myself with people who reflect the person I want to be.
My solitude is important, too.
I will always bring something – wine, flowers – to a dinner/birthday party, even if they say not to.
I will send a voice note instead of a text; they sound like personal mini podcasts.
I will know my value and what I have to offer, and never settle for anything less than what I’ve earned.
I will send postcards from my holidays. I will send them even if I am not on holiday.
I will be polite to rude strangers – it’s oddly thrilling.
I will ask questions, and listen to the answers.
I will text to say thank you and follow up with a handwritten note.
I will say hello to my neighbors.
I will call an old friend or relative out of the blue at least twice a month.
I will politely decline invitations if I don’t want to go.
I will visit my siblings in 2022, as soon as covid allows.
If I do leave early, I will have an exit strategy (maybe slip out unseen).
I will join a community book club.
I will text someone I saw online recently and reconnect one a week.
I will eat lunch with a co-work who I don’t know well or with a lonely student.
I pledge to listen more and talk less.
I pledge to put my frustration aside and work to understand you.
I pledge to be more sensitive and less reactive.
I pledge to act out of respect instead of defensiveness.

7. I will have more art, music and nature in my life.

I will walk outside most days not matter what the weather.
I will walk outside barefoot when it is warm enough.
I will sketch most days.
I will read August Wilson’s Century Cycle again in 2022.

8. I will walk and be more present.

I will walks without my phone.
I will turn off all notifications on my phone except for phone calls (even text messaging).
I will sleep without my phone in the bedroom.
I will sleep without listening to music.
I will try a biphasic sleep schedule.

9. I will cultivate self discipline.

I will fight and win the battles of today, only.
Every week, I will search my email for the word “unsubscribe” and then use it on as many as I can.
I will use small, incremental changes to change everything in the long run.
I will try taking a cold shower (30 seconds to two minutes) before a hot one. It’s good for my health – both physical and mental.
I will remove one box of clutter a week.
I will clear the emotional and physical clutter in my life.
I will pick one surface a week in my home that I can clear entirely (a bathroom counter, a coffee table, a shelf, or a nightstand) and remove everything from it.
I will not buy a single nonessential item. Then, I put that $49 into a savings account. The next week , I will do the same thing.
I will buy secondhand.
I will buy in person.
I will track / log every penny I spend.
I will eliminate one obligation from my life that I do not enjoy or does not further my greatest passions and pursuits.
I will make a daily 3-Item To-Do List. 3-item to-do list Every morning, I will write down the three most important tasks that I need to complete that day.
I will not overthink “exercise daily.”

10. I will be like water.

This simply means I will be flexible in both mind and body. It’s about not being rigid and stubborn about my beliefs, practices, understanding, and instead, about being open-minded and able to change and adapt to the circumstances I am put into.

11. I will never stop learning.

I will join my local library – and use it.
I will learn the basics of repairing my clothes.
I will take a Civil Rights class at Rivers.
I will learn to use the woodworking equipment at Rivers.
I will learn figure drawing.
I will play with film cameras and processing.
I will learn to code.

12. I will embrace my mistakes.

I will consider action-taking as a path to learning.
I will experiment.

***Specific ~ (simple, sensible, significant). What? Why? Who? Where? Which? Write the goal down and be as detailed as possible.

Measurable ~ (meaningful, motivating). How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished? Write about how you’ll measure your success toward this goal.

Achievable ~ (agreed, attainable). How can I accomplish this goal? How realistic is the goal, based on other constraints, such as financial factors? Look at your goal. Is it challenging enough to spark my interest?

Relevant ~ (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based). Is it worthwhile? Is this the right time? Does this match my other efforts/needs? Am I the right person to reach this goal?

Time bound ~ (time-based, time limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive). When? What can I do six months from now? What can I do six weeks from now? What can I do today? Identify ways that you can reward yourself when you make progress.

Evaluated ~ Schedule time once a week to analyze your progress and accomplishments. Look at what has and hasn’t worked, and make adjustments along the way. Break large, complex goals down into smaller sub-goals. This will stop you feeling overwhelmed, and it will make it easier to stay motivated.

Reviewed ~ Measure progress by breaking difficult or large goals down into smaller chunks, and seek feedback when you reach each milestone.