2022 here we come!
Happy New Year!
Here we are. A fresh new year. In my last blog and in episode 30 of my podcast I talked about the benefits of choosing an intention for the year, usually in the form of just one word so it’s easily memorable. I also promised that I’d share mine.
So, this year my intention is JOY!
I had so many great words to choose from when I did my annual brainstorm but after the last year, in fact the last two years, what I want more than anything else this year is to feel and experience joy. I think the fact that in December I wrote a blog post called the joy of anticipation and produced a podcast called enjoying the journey was pointing me towards joy as my choice!
Taking my own advice that I shared in the podcast episode:
I have written a list of the things I would like from my year that will bring me this joy.
I will enjoy sourcing some items that will provide me with a visual reminder of joy.
I’m sharing my intention with all of you and with my family and close friends to help remind me of it through the year and hopefully join me in creating the joy!
I will use the thought of joy to help me make decisions throughout the year.
As this year starts I know that I’m facing at least three more months of cancer treatment – chemotherapy and then radiotherapy. This will then be followed by starting on a drug that I’ll have to take for at least 10 years to reduce the chance of the cancer returning. I don’t know how my body is going to react to or cope with any of this but I do know that I’m going to choose joy. I’m going to choose to find the moments and experiences that will allow me to feel joyful even in the midst of the uncertainty, exhaustion and pain. For the next couple of months that is likely to be taking joy in the small things. Seeing the first snowdrops and crocus flowering. Noticing when it’s still light after 5pm. Hearing the birds singing. Cosying up with a really good book.
There is so much I haven’t been able to do and so as the year progresses I’m looking forward to the joy of:
planning a holiday
having visitors
hugging the people I love
cooking for family and friends
having a glass of wine after months of no alcohol
a weekend in London
going to my clients again
coaching again
brisk walks
running
dressing up to go out
attending an in-person event
going shopping
going out for meals
It’s a really modest list I know but I haven’t been able to do any of the above for months and will take enormous joy in doing these things again.
I will also choose to approach everything I do with a sense of joy. With the question, where is the joy in this? How can I find joy in this? And do you know what, if the answer is, there isn’t any or I can’t find it then I will question why I’m doing it or if it really needs to be done this way.
I want to make sure that I’ve learnt the lessons that life has taught me over the last two years. Life is short, I can’t control everything but I can choose how I react and what my priorities are. This year I will be choosing to focus on the joy as much as humanly possible.
How about you, have you chosen a word, an intention? How will it help to shape your year?
