It feels crazy and has totally caught me unawares that I write this post in 2018. Twenny, mother flippin, eighteen. Everyone that I have spoken to has been flummoxed [my New Years resolution is to use more obscure words, henceforth flummoxed will feature … ad hoc] by the speed, ferocity and busyness of the final months of 2017. The year seemed to skip past entire months, days were swallowed in what felt like only a few hours, birthdays were celebrated with only a blink between its predecessor and itself. I know this isn’t a newsflash, that life goes fast and that [if we listen to Grandma and Gramps] as you get older, the world only seems to spin faster and faster. BUT it’s a delicious reminder of this one, finite life that we have all been gifted. One with an obvious start date, but no suggestion as to when our time is up. Henceforth [HA] we are encouraged to squeeze the juice out of every single ripe [and un or overripe in some cases] experience that this planet has to offer.

Segue into today’s post. Written entirely by the Virgo in me [the chick who adores list making, planning, fresh starts, moon magic, goal setting and resolution revelling] and about all things 2018.

Each year offers us 365 opportunities to make change. Actually, a shift in perspective or change in behaviour takes only seconds, giving us 31 536 000 opportunities to make change. To choose differently. To write an alternate story, or refine our existing one. To support one another and the planet. So what do you resolve to dedicate even 1% of your opportunity quotient [a staggering 315, 360 seconds, aka opportunities].

Sometimes it’s easy to get bogged down in the allure of goal setting, and we can’t see clearly with all the glitter in our eyes. We set the intentions to gym everyday, eat only ‘green things’, give to charity, meditate, give up trashy tv, give up coffee, be more patient, don’t procrastinate … before we know it we are guzzling coffee on our way to Maccas, swearing at the idiot driver in front of us because he is Sunday driving [on a Tuesday] and we are going to miss the final episode of Teen Mom. We cry into our BigMacs, admitting defeat, and resolving to do better. Next year.

Hold the phone compadres. It doesn’t have to be this hard. I think, ultimately, it comes down to our choice of resolutions and goals – what they were born from and our ‘why’ behind them. If you spy, with your little eye, any evidence of a ‘should’, you need to reevaluate whether your chosen goal is really, truly coming from you. “I should exercise more” will result in guilt and extreme couch dwelling but on the flip side “I want to exercise more” or “I want to feel healthier” will see yo’ ass hiking up that stair-master like nobody’s bidnezz.

I’ve always been a fan of ‘adding in’ rather than taking away. You overcrowd your life with the good stuff, good choices, good options and you soon have little to no space for the behaviour or thing that you were ultimately avoiding. Side swiping the shitty, amping up the goody. What does that look like? Rather than resolving to cut sugar and junk food, resolve to amp up your vegetables to include 2 at every single meal. Instead of giving up softdrink, resolve to drink 2L water a day. If you want to give up TV or social media, amp up your dedicated reading time. What you’ll find is that you will saturate your day with the good, desired outcomes and behaviours, and the ‘give ups’ will kind of just see themselves out. Like a pesky house guest, they know when they’re not wanted.

Last little note on resolutions and goals [because ‘tis the season, right?] – I’ve been so inspired by the intentions of those around me this year that I just had to give ‘em a little shout out. I’ve heard ‘take more photos’, ‘be more present’, ‘worry less’, ‘don’t fret over what others think’, ‘be in the moment’ … and these aren’t resolutions set by old fuddy duddies on their deathbed. These were real life examples from women in their 20s, who want to feel more connected, at peace and mindful within their lives.

Here’s to 2018 – and goals we can raise a glass o’ bubbly to.

Blessings, bubbles and bucketloads of intent x

Image sourced from here