Setting Intentions for 2014

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Last year, I decided 2013 was for living. For traveling, saying yes to life, investing time into relationships, and celebrating milestones like 30^th birthdays and friend’s new babies.

I’m now realizing that 2013 was for embracing all of life and learning to be thankful for struggles, because you find meaning and growth when you open yourself up to them.

I learned that change is hard and sometimes long, but possible. I learned that you can’t control life, but you can control how you respond to it, and maybe that’s more important. I learned that you can’t do everything, and that’s okay. Sometimes you need to say no to good things in order to say yes to the most important things.

2013 was for living. 2014 is for dreaming.

The New Year is always a time of promise, but I’m especially excited for 2014. Many of my friends know that I made a decision to leave a job I love and an organization I helped build to go out on my own. Its terrifying, heartbreaking, exciting and full of possibility all at the same time. I want to continue the journey of lessons learned from this year and embrace all the change and unknowns ahead.

With that, I’ve decided to set intentions instead of resolutions. I want to be intentional this year with how I’m living rather than what I’m doing. So, these are my intentions for 2014:

1. Learn to be still and to be comfortable in solitude. Creativity and discoveries and small beautiful revelations only come in times of stillness.

2. Choose gratitude and mindfulness over worry and fear. Don’t listen to insecurity and self doubt  - they may be the loudest voices, but they are not truth.

3. Explore. Create. Write. Dream.

4. Wash my face every night, because I need a practical one, and because I'm 30. It's time to get serious about skincare.

I’ve also been inspired by these 5 Mantras for the New Year from The Glitter Guide and might be channeling them all year. Can I get an amen on the last one?

Here’s to a new year full of dreams and beginnings.