Intentionality
“More Scrabble” by Prince Edward Island artist Doretta Groenendyk. See her delightful art here.
“Intentional living is the art of making our own choices before others’ choices make us.” - Richie Norton
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends. I know we did, as we played many board games, including Scrabble. I strongly suggest Balderdash, but only if you want to experience tears of laughter.
A New Year is approaching, and being happier is always on the resolution list. However, as Matthieu Ricard suggests, “Happiness is not given to us, nor is misery imposed. At every moment, we are at a crossroads and must choose the direction we will take.”
Many people make New Year’s resolutions to improve their health, personal growth, relationships, or anything else that needs a fresh start. Studies report that 25% give up by mid-January and over 40% by February. Common reasons include unrealistic goals, poor planning, and lost motivation. Given these numbers, I’ll not rush the resolution-making process but will try something different.
Many people think they lack motivation when what they really lack is clarity. It is not always obvious when and where to take action. Some people spend their entire lives waiting for the time to be right to make an improvement. - James Clear, Atomic Habits
Earlier this year, I re-read Awareness by Jesuit Anthony De Mello, which greatly enriched my understanding of the human condition. As the new year approaches, I am inspired to embrace a more intentional way of living.
There are many obstacles to living intentionally—procrastination, feeling blue, distractions, lack of vision, no goals, and negative emotions, to name a few—but perhaps the most overlooked barrier is a lack of self-awareness. As Socrates said, "An unexamined life is not worth living."
For many of us, the question is, do we really know what we desire? If we take the time to ask this question, the answer is often only surface-level, hidden beneath the noise of daily life and the countless demands on our attention. Taking the time to explore this question truly requires intentionality and patience.
Over the next few weeks, I plan to sit silently in my “cabin” to make a deep internal ask—some call it prayer—and listen without judgment to the many thoughts that often flood my mind. The ideas that stand out or seem to come from “left field” will be added to the list for further investigation.
After a busy and noisy career, I’ve discovered that silence allows clarity to emerge and reconnects me to what truly matters. Through this practice, I hope to uncover what I deeply desire to pursue in 2025.
Overcoming self-doubt can be challenging when trying to make changes. However, taking action—even a single step—demonstrates that we are serious about making the necessary changes. Pablo Picasso highlighted the importance of action by saying, “Action is the foundational key to all success.” Similarly, William James affirmed its impact, stating, “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.”
We can carry hope as we enter the New Year, but hope alone is not a strategy. One way I will live more intentionally in 2025 is by setting a goal to write at least 100 words daily. With time and small successes, I expect to build momentum and gradually increase the number.
To stay focused, I must be mindful of how I use my time to ensure my daily actions align with my goals and values. Consequently, I'm excited to start my new paper journal. I intend to document my daily actions—or the lack thereof—on its crisp, empty pages, turning the written reflections into opportunities for awareness and redirected action. As the journal liner note suggests, "Writing by hand is thinking on paper. Thoughts grow into work, sentences, and pictures. Memories become stories. Ideas are transformed into projects. Notes inspire insight. We write and understand, learn, see, and think with the hand."
Thank you for being here, and I wish you all the best with your 2025 plan of action!
“You get what you focus on, so focus on what you want.” - David Allen
