Thank you so much for your sweet notes of encouragement last week. Not long after I penned that post, our sweet dog of twelve years fell suddenly ill and we had to put her to sleep. Our sweet Lola was my constant companion, my little co-worker. Since my office is at home, she could easily demand a morning play session, an afternoon petting session, and periodic snacks. Around the house, she was always sweet, gentle, and oh so earnest. Losing her was so hard, and we all still are doing things out of habit—reaching to feed her in the morning, looking for in under her favorite bush, moving to offer her my leftover lunch.
Last week, I shared that I was finally feeling myself come out of the fog and weariness of grief and devastation. And then we ended up having a crazy week filled with all sorts of heartbreak and challenges beyond losing Lola. Despite an especially hard week, I am relieved to share that whatever clicked into place in the sun of Sunset Beach is still there. I am tired, yes. I am so so sad, yes. But I am also okay.
When I realized that the weariness cloud had finally been lifted, I sat down one afternoon at the beach and did a little journaling to really claim this new feeling of possibility by defining how I wanted to feel in the coming months and what I intended to do during this time. For me, claiming my intentions is always an empowering process.
Want your own intention setting process as you prepare for the end of summer and the start of fall? Here are the questions I asked myself.
What do I need right now?
Here I identified three things that my body and soul were craving (for me, it was energy, clarity, and belief in myself).
What are my top three values for this time?
Which of my values do I most need to plug into right now to drive myself forward? I am plugging into being present, being brave/bold, and being optimistic.
How do I want to feel?
My list included: whole, healthy, inspired, vibrant, focused, loved and loving, supported and supportive.
What I intend to do/prioritize?
All things wholehearted.
What are your hopes for yourself in the coming months?
For this one, I wrote the descriptor as if I was removed from myself, watching how I moved through life in the coming months.
What are your hopes for your work?
What sort of things do you want to see happen professionally? How do you want to be in that space?
What are your hopes for your family in the coming months?
If you’ve been struggling in any way recently (or even if you haven’t been), perhaps a few minutes to claim your intention might serve as a powerful reset for you, too. Don’t overthink any of the questions, whatever comes up for you in response to each question is just what you need. When you are done, revisit your answers and then place your reflections somewhere where you can easily review them whenever you need a reminder.
