Six months ago I posted my first list of ten Mid-Year’s Intentions. These were intended as a counterpoint, an antidote to New Year’s resolutions. At that time I wrote: The problem with New Year’s resolutions is that they create anxiety, hope, and usually ultimately disappointment.
So I’m starting a new tradition — Mid-Year’s intentions. These aren’t things you want to do, they’re things you know you’re going to do. It’s a taking stock, a self-clarification of priorities, a statement of intentionality. In accordance with Pollard’s Law — We do what we must, then we do what’s easy, and then we do what’s fun — this list is about what you’re driven to do (not what you wish you were more driven to do), it’s about what easy/fun playing and learning activities you’re going to do. It’s about realizing what you’re becoming, not becoming something that you’re not. It’s about being more yourself. My reason for blogging about it is that I think it might be revealing to my readers (and if you write about your intentions that could be revealing to your readers). Our readers would then have a little better context for understanding us, and what we write about, and understanding it better. I did indeed carry out all my Mid-Year’s Intentions. So here we go again — my intentions for the next six months:
The biggest challenge I will face with these intentions is finding and making time for them all. This will require me to stop doing a lot of things I do now. That means I need to understand why I do these things now. Things are the way they are for a reason, and I need to appreciate that reason before I can start spending my time differently. When I put this list together I originally started with ‘be a model for others’. After all, that’s the advice I give everyone else who asks me ‘what should I do to save the world’? But I concluded I am not yet ready to be a model for others. Maybe in another six months, after I’ve realized these ten intentions, I’ll be ready. Or perhaps, merely by intending to do things that are useful, helpful, generous, and by doing everything I intend, I will become a model in the process. That’s my list. What are your intentions for the first half of 2008? Category: Let-Self-Change
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I think Dave my intention will be to understand better why I want, what I want. I like your idea of intention instead of resolution. Intention seems more open ended and allows things to form around what you need, rather than forcing things to be the way you want. Forcing doesnt seem the way to go, it doesnt feel trusting to me.
Dave, I am wishing you a great New Year and Happy Unfolding, wherever your path may go. It´s always been an interesting journey to follow your thoughts. ChristinaPS My intention is to fully incorporate that all I do is not about achieving but about learning.
I like reading other people’s New Year’s resolutions even though I don’t make them myself. I used to, but then I discovered that I automatically didn’t keep them. Now it almost seems like I’m jinxing myself if I try to make one. Yours are nice though. Inspiring.
Don’t worry about the ‘be a model for others’ part. That will naturaaly happen as you share your actions and intentions with others.I haven’t thought about my intentions very thoroughly, but some are a bit similar: Continue (mostly through meditation, mindfulness, and reflection) to understand my mind better, so that I’m more able to understand situations and live truly in the moment rather than being stuck in conditioned responses and a “personality”. Love others while accepting their choices, not assuming that my way is the best way. Start gardening to learn how to grow things (the front lawn is already ripped out and replaced with raised beds, but I just have cover crops for the winter). Use my car less often and my bicycle more often.
Add a little “B” to my Type A. ;-)
Dave,I just stumbled across your site and really like your Mid-Year’s Intention number 2. “2. Live simpler. Buy less, use less, consume less, owe less, need less. Live lighter on the land.” So much I have added your site to our directory, because it focuses on things that will help our planet.The rest are really good as well.Have a great year!CheersLGJHOST
Happy New Year, Dave!