Beyond New Year's Resolutions: Inspiring a Life of Intention
Image | Sarah Pollok
If you're tired of the non-resolving nature of New Year's Resolutions, maybe this will help.
¿A qué te dedicas?
The Spanish replace our rather dry conversation starter of 'What do you do?' with this question. What are you dedicated to? What do you do for a living - not just 'work', but a life?
No matter what the short-term, tangible appearance of our resolutions might be, there is a deeper thread which pulls us in a certain direction. This deeper layer could be referred to as the Sanskrit word sankalpa: a heartfelt desire, vow or dedication.
“In these challenging times, amidst the pandemic, climate disruption, calls for social and racial justice, and our own personal challenges, we too can pause, quiet ourselves and dedicate ourselves to our best intentions.”
If you want to begin running regularly, start practising yoga daily, or learn a new language, be more involved in your community, or step into that new role at work - what inspires you? What draws you towards being in that imagined space of having 'achieved' that ability, or reached that place?
The deeper qualities so many of us can yearn for by trying to control our circumstances are not to be found 'out there'.
Power. Beauty. Integrity. Grace.
Such qualities are generated from within, the way sweetness develops in a ripening apple, or colour and expansion in a blossom: unforced, yet inevitable in the ripening. Sometimes, in contrast to the great acts we see from others, our own efforts can seem insufficient, selfish or insignificant. Yet this is a distraction, for it turns us away from the expression of wisdom attributed to Mother Theresa - in a very complex world, the only way to begin is to 'do small things, with great love.'
“It is good to question our own dedication, even if it makes us uncomfortable. To what have we dedicated our life? How deeply do we carry this dedication? Is it time to rededicate our life? We have to be true to our own way.”
It starts with our most everyday choices.
How we fill our minds.
How we nourish our bodies.
How we choose our words, and tend to our relationships.
How we harbour what needs rest, and sail onwards with what must move.
The nature of life offers few guarantees. What is certain is that this moment is unrepeatable. That anything can happen, any time. And that our response, and the flavour of our experience, can be enriched with creativity and intention.
If this is the last hour of your life, how would you spend it? What will you choose to create, here and now? What if we begin to live like this, every moment?
Your dedication might be to cultivate strength, to shield or support those in need. It might be to create laughter and ease in places of tension. It might be a commitment to gentleness, or to expressing your creativity with courage. It's not too late now, or any time, to pause, and spend some time being quiet in reflection. Once, or many times, listening ever-deeper. Whatever thread of truth you discover, you might write down with care, and place on an altar, or somewhere you will see and be reminded daily.
When we have a sure compass towards our heartfelt intention, it steadies our course regardless of the weather we meet or challenges we face. No matter what obstacles are encountered, we can look towards this sun, and move with it's guidance, established in purpose and steady in our course.
What is your heartfelt intention this year - and perhaps, this life?
I can't wait to see what you bring into the world: may it lead you toward what lights up your inspiration for life - and what will brighten all beings everywhere.
x L