Living with Intention

2017: The year of living with intention. Here’s how I plan to get there. 

A new year brings new goals, refreshed energy, and a crisp sense of ambition. And yes, I like to refer to them as goals, rather than new year’s resolutions. It fits better, at least for me. Resolution means more of solving a problem or making a firm decision, while when I think of goals, I know I have something to work towards. There will be hiccups along the way, naturally, but overall I’ve got a few goals in mind and I’m doing my best to get there.

Living With Intention

Living with intention easily means something unique to each and every one of us. For me, it’s all about focusing on areas where I’ve been struggling or have found that I become overwhelmed with. I selected a few key pieces of my life to evaluate and really make an effort to become more intentional. Here’s how I plan to reach those goals.

Travel

Like most, I love to travel. A weekend in Portland, Maine – you’ve got it. Bi-monthly trips to Atlanta, Georgia? I’m all in. However, I have so many cities I want to visit, especially abroad. I’ve yet to visit Europe and it’s driving me crazy! I need to see it, and soon! This year, I’m going to be much more intentional with my travel. Can I cut back on a few domestic trips in order to make a European adventure happen? Can I be traveling at different times of the year to take advantage of the off-season? This year, it’s all about planning ahead and making strategic decisions about where, when, and how I’m traveling.

Money

When you’ve got sky-high student loans, being intentional with money isn’t just a goal, it’s a necessity. I’m cutting back on spending on those frivolous items that I don’t necessarily need, but also looking at how I can be more intentional with money in general. Can I be saving more? Can I move somewhere where rent is cheaper? How can I better invest the money I’m making to save more in the long run? Rather than diving in headfirst and making rash decisions, I’m planning to spend more time this year becoming smarter about spending and saving appropriately.

Time

This is my biggest opportunity for improvement. I’ve been stretching myself too thin for much too long. Over the past few years, I’ve been getting minimal sleep and it’s taking a toll. I cut back on a few of the things I do that were taking up my time and hope to utilize those few hours a week to get ahead, to accomplish the pesky tasks I tend to put off, and to learn. I want to build a few new skills this year and spend more time reading (for fun and for a few exciting projects I have up my sleeve).

I love savoring slow weekend mornings – like the one featured here. Tim and I enjoyed some tasty overnight oats (recipe coming your way soon!) and a tasty winter spice cold brew that we prepped the night before. We used his winter spice simple syrup (adapted from this recipe) and it was oh so good. I want more mornings like that. I need more mornings like that. Time really is of the essence and I want to make the best possible use of it.

What are some of your goals for this year? Anything specific you’re working towards in 2017?

g.