Setting an intention for 2022
Have you set an intention yet? In contrast to specific measurable goals, an intention can be more broad. It can be a feeling you want to share or an atmosphere you hope to create. Here are some examples of intentions for this new year.
Pace and love! Image: Unsplash
Peace
Inner peace and social peace. It’s all good. Make peace with the past by letting go. Gain peace from relationships that no longer align with your values or wellbeing, by creating new relationships that more closely align. Peacefully relate to nature and the world - intending to reduce harm.
Understanding
Look within to more deeply understand yourself. See interactive experiences with an alternative perspective. We can set the intention of understanding in this new year to look beyond our assumptions.
Knowledge
Explore topics to learn more, especially about areas that could benefit your self and the world. I feel comforted when learning facts about health. I feel empowered with the tools to nurture my wellness as much as possible. My own personal knowledge-gap includes how the planet is changing in impactful ways. What is your knowledge gap? Can you think of a topic you need to learn more information about? Could you explore varieties of books and online resources to discover new areas? There is the old saying - you don’t know what you don’t know.
Gain understanding and connect with the world. Image: iStock.
Compassion
If we see fellow human beings in need, what are we going to do about it? Brene Brown said to Russell Brand that empathetic people, “Saw humanity in everyone… reached out with kindness and empathy. There was a oneness.” Brene Brown said compassion is a belief system about how we will treat ourselves and others. This pattern was also shared in a 60 Minutes interview, “Compassionate people have very clear boundaries that they insist are respected.”
I am trying to implement my intention of compassion by finding ways to be charitable towards people and groups that need help. It actually takes wisdom to realise people end up in need for understandable reasons - through uncontrollable circumstances or after mistakes they have learned from.
We can extend compassion beyond humanity. This could be the year when you gain knowledge about what is happening to environments and animals to then grow empathy towards the struggles and oneness with the world we live in.
Service
Leading on from the above intention of compassion, is the path of service. I can see the importance of boundaries when serving. Years ago, I was like a volunteering workaholic. We can make more of a difference by serving fewer people than trying to help everybody. One person just can’t be everywhere or do everything. This year, I set the intention of balanced purposeful service.
Growth
Let’s intend to grow. This can happen through many forms and ways. Be open to the possibilities. We can grow our resources by making practical actions that create abundance. We can grow our social circles if needed - this is not about forming a crowd but about building a meaningful community. When restrictions were reduced enough to allow gatherings, I went online and reached out to like-minded people who can meet in person. I stay open to a broad intention of social growth because this could lead me in unexpected wonderful directions.
Friends having drinks. You can build a community by gathering with a few people over refreshments Image: Unsplash.
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