Setting My Intentions for 2020 💚💪🧘‍♀️🍎📝

Every day in 2020 is getting better and better! Well, that shouldn't come as too much of a surprise considering I rang in the new year with a nasty case of the flu. Nothing like a bout of ill health to make you really appreciate the simple things in life like breathing normally or being able to do laundry without needing a nap. While my body is not quite back to its usual high level of vigor, each day I get closer and closer to my sense of normal. One benefit of having more down time than usual while recuperating was that it did give me the opportunity to reflect on some of my intentions for the year ahead, thus I am sharing them as part of the latest @naturalmedicine challenge.

Though I wouldn't say I necessarily make "resolutions" each year, I do think any time is a good time to check in on life and set some new goals. Why not the beginning of the calendar year? Good goals should be measurable and time-bound, so what better way to satisfy that then using the calendar to set the clock and see what you can accomplish. Here are a few of the things I'm focusing on to continue my journey for a long and healthy road ahead (here's hoping anyway 😉):

1) Coffee only on the weekends.

While there is a lot of debate around the topic, and you'll find sources for both the positives and negatives of consuming the liquid of the magical bean, I've been considering for a while reducing my personal consumption. I never really liked coffee until I became a personal trainer. Even then, I might not have jumped on the bandwagon except my first boss at the time was a bit of a caffeine junkie. There is some research that supports the use of caffeine as an ergogenic aid, so I believe I first started consuming it as a pre-workout booster. After a bit of time I developed a liking for the flavor, and slowly but surely my morning cup (or two) of coffee became a habit.

I am actually a morning person, so in reality I don't think I "need" that morning hit of caffeine to get me going. There's just something warm and familiar in the habit that thus far that has made it difficult for me to part with. For whatever reason tea does not quite satisfy the need in the same way. Why if I enjoy it do I want to try going without? Well, a few of my Nat Med friends have pointed out that those of us with a sensitive nature perhaps are not served well by stimulants. I have also known a few friends who have found some benefits to kicking the habit. Personally, I have also started noticing some times my stomach is a bit dodgy after consuming a cup of the dark liquid.

This past week while I was under the weather I actually went the whole week easily with no coffee, though I did have a cup yesterday and this morning. Instead of just going completely cold turkey (or tofurkey if you will), my goal is to keep my consumption solely to the weekends. Though even that I may cut out eventually.

2) Setting daily intentions.

So instead of warming my belly each morning with a cup of joe, I am going to warm my heart with a quiet moment each morning to set my intentions for that particular day. My schedule tends to be all over the place, so each day could be totally different schedule-wise from the day before. Even week-to-week, the same day of the week could be slightly different depending upon which clients are in town or what extra tasks I've picked up. In the past I've tried to set weekly goals or attempted to map out my day perfectly, but it never seems to stick. Instead I think if I can be a bit gentler with myself and find one thing to focus on for the day ahead, it will actually make me more productive but also feel much more satisfied.

As much as I would love to have a full-on morning meditation practice, I know there are some mornings waking up at 4:30 am to get in early for a pre-dawn client, just a moment is enough. Yes, meditating more is a big goal of mine, but again in the essence of self-kindness, I am celebrating brief moments as much as 30-minute bouts of stillness. I still use an old school daily planner for scheduling clients, so my execution for this goal is to write a little note each day to put that intention on paper. There definitely is something powerful in the written word!

3) Judging less.

Well this one may be hard to quantify, but it is still a big one that has been weighing on my mind since doing the Abundance Challenge (don't forget about the next round starting soon!). Like a lot of people, I think I have a really bad habit of not only judging others, but also holding myself to unrealistic standards. I like to think I'm a pretty open minded person, however I still have lots of room for improvement in letting go and not taking other people's actions personally. I also have been doing a lot of internal work in assessing my own perceptions of success and what it REALLY means to me.

I see lots of women out there hustling and constantly striving to do more and have more, which sometimes makes me feel like I'm not working hard enough. It is especially challenging in the fitness world where we are supposed to have a lot of clients, but then also a thriving social media following, yet still get plenty of rest and have the perfect physique to go along with it (because looking good in your Lulu pants = more clients). If that's your goal, then by golly rock it ladies. The more I think about it, though, the more that is not my heart. I entered a career in the fitness world to promote health, and that is still my ultimate goal. Yes, the more people in my sphere, the more positive impact I can have in that regard, but I never want to sacrifice my ultimate message to pimp myself out for more likes or money. I also have learned I function better at a slower pace in life (unless I'm running--I do like to run fast, haha). The world needs plenty of us quiet, fly-under-the-radar kinds of folks. I just need to keep reminding myself of that and stay true to what brings me joy. Ultimately that's what resonates most with others anyway!

4) Read a book a month...for FUN!

I am constantly reading to keep up with the latest fitness and nutrition information, but I also adore reading just for the sake of relaxing and exploring someone else's made up world. This month our @yourtop3 topic for the contest is favourite authors, and already I'm amassing a huge list of suggestions! Our local library was remodeled over a year ago now (maybe even closer to 2) and I still haven't been in it. It's time to stop by and get a new library card so I can not only support my own goal, but support the institution. When I was making the career switch to be a trainer I actually contemplated going back to school for library science but I thought I'd have greater job security in fitness. I need to do my part to keep our library system alive and well for future generations! Can't wait to see even more entries to the contest to keep adding to that list. By the end of January I should have enough to keep me going for all of 2020.

I've got plenty more little habits I would like to continue with or start working on for the year, but those are the big ones that spring to mind currently. They are definitely more on the mental health side of things as I feel I have a pretty good handle on the physical. Though there are always new goals to hit on the fitness side of things, as well! It's definitely not to late to start the year on a positive note, so what are you going to do to set the tone in your own life?

Banners by @woman-onthe-wing, @dksart and @bearone for @steemusa