I love the idea of setting an intention for the new year with one little word.  I’m sure you’ve heard of it, and last year was the first time I had done it.  I found it super helpful and one word was a really simple reminder that kept me connected to my goals and values.

For 2016 my word was FOCUS – I knew we had a big year coming up and I wanted to develop razor sharp focus free of distractions and unnecessary stuff.  I set boundaries, got better at saying “no”, delegated responsibilities, asked for help and worked to stay anxiously engaged in things that mattered most.  That was good for me!

I’ve thought a lot about my word for 2017.  I’ve been through a bunch and none of them have felt like they really embody what I hope to cultivate this coming year.  Patience, stillness, attuned, connected…none of them felt right.  Then a dear friend sent me a talk and it was exactly what I needed to read.  So for 2017 my word is LOVE.

I want to live with heart wide open.  I want to love deeper and more sincerely.  This relates mostly to my family, especially with our recent addition.  I most definitely want my kids to look back at their childhood and remember how much they were loved.  I want them to feel important, more important than something on my to-do list.  I want to let my house get messy because I’m too busy making memories.  I want to take deep breaths and just soak up all the blessings I’ve received instead of thinking of everything that’s supposed to get done.

I think LOVE perfectly describes what I hope for this year.  I know we will still have responsibilities and jobs and chores, but I’m sure I can do all those things with grace and cheerfulness and positivity.  I’m sure I can find ways to include my kids and other loved ones, making those relationships top priority.

Lastly, but probably most importantly, I want to feel empowered to resist the temptation to feel like I’m not enough.  I’m admitting a big struggle of mine here.  It’s a real daily commitment to not let those sneaky voices get to me.  You know what I’m talking about – the ones that say you aren’t good enough, that you can’t do it and that you’ll only fail.  I’ve come a long way in making peace with myself and food, but my perfectionistic tendencies still show up quite a bit as a mother.  It’s a hard job – all you moms know that – and I don’t make it any easier by beating myself up.  So no more!  LOVE feels like a good goal.

This quotes by Sophocles – a Greek playwright – feels just perfect:

While your goals and intentions may be different than mine, I hope that reading this has given you permission to set resolutions that are personal and meaningful.  Too often we set resolutions that aren’t really in line with what we truly want and value, just what we think we should.  I would love to hear what you think about using a word to set an intention for the year, and if you’ve done it, what’s your word?

Happy New Year!

Emily Fonnesbeck RD, CD