Setting Our Intentions for 2022

I love the New Year! It stands so promising and heartening. I feel hopeful and encouraged just by thinking of all this year holds in store. I've heard it say: "2022 is the year of double double!"

I've seen how when the new year starts, there are different ways people approach and show up to the New Year. I've met people in all these three categories, and maybe you have too:

-Some people have thoughts, ideas, and goals of what they'd like to accomplish and how. They expectantly scribble them down, typically the first days in January. Or even if they don't write them down, they still go over them almost daily in their mind as their mantra.

-Others instead seem "more realistic" and wish for a different outcome in just some area of their life without overdoing their wishing.

-And, the ones who don't seem to have any expectations for the new year and take whatever comes and deal with it. They believe if they don't have any expectations, they won't be disappointed if their wishes don't pan out.

What group do you usually fit in? Which one would you consider for 2022?

I believe most people want to achieve their goals and dreams. They have faith in themselves and God or their Higher Power that what they hope for will happen -even if they don't know exactly how each detail will work out, at least they have a general plan. After all, hope is a feeling of expectation or desire that something we want will happen. Hope inhabits the hearts of people who also achieve their goals despite the challenges.

Antoine de Saint-Exupery once said: "A goal without a plan is just a wish."

Setting goals is a mindful practice. It gives our days focus. Being aware of our goals reminds us of what our priorities are. It helps us fulfill our purpose and align our activities according to what is essential.

So how do we set goals effectively?

Maybe some critical questions before deciding on our goals for 2022 are: "What do we want? Why? What actions will it take to achieve that? Is it realistic? How will we know if we've reached it? And, last but not least, By when?

Sometimes we set goals for some areas we feel are the most relevant and neglect others as less important. We might focus on our work, health, family, and finances. But leave out our social life and relationships, growth areas, spirituality, or the sense of enjoyment and general satisfaction in life. We might be so focused on making a living, we forget to make a life.

Our life has many aspects. We don't get to compartmentalize them. We might overlook this if we don't have the awareness that we do life as a whole. We operate as body, mind, and spirit.

The dreams we have can become our goals with the right actions. The promises we make to ourselves we should keep. Our week can get so busy. Life can become so loud and unfocused. It's always a great thing when we can check in with ourselves. To have some quiet to think, not only about our goals and progress but also on how we are. Maybe we might have a year with more hope, and less anxiety, more peace and less stress, more introspection, and fewer comparisons. Wouldn't that be a Happy New Year?

I sincerely wish you this for 2022 for you and your family. Happy 2022!

Maria A. Mansfield, PRS, CLC

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