Word for 2021: Intention
As the sun rises on a new year it brings with it the unknown. If 2020 was anything to go by, we've learned that the unknown can really be something we've never imagined. So, like a fresh new page in a Kikki K notebook all fresh and clean, I'm ready to begin the story of 2021, whatever it holds.
My word for 2020 was momentum. The idea behind it was to keep moving forward in terms of my writing. And while publishing another novel didn't happen, I did end the year with one complete and polished manuscript and a full first draft of another. As well as a vision for the future. And considering 2020 was the year it was, I'm pretty happy with that momentum.
Like all my past words: change, fearless, believe, focus, curious, momentum is a word I will take forward with me. And, I have chosen my one word for 2021: intention.
The way I choose my word for the year is usually to let it come to me, or a word that helps me build on the previous year's theme. This year, intention was one that just came to me.
What does intention mean for me in 2021?
Intention for me means being intentional in what I choose to do. I want to approach life intentionally by making the best choices and decisions with intention.
How I'm going to apply intention to my writing life.
By applying the SMART approach to setting goals for my writing. Goals that are:
I'm a planner and goal setter from way back, but sometimes my goals are a little over-optimistic. I have heady visions of powering into the year all guns blazing. Like warrior heading into battle claiming victory before the war is even fought. What can I say? I'm a glass-half-full gal.
But this year, my goals are going to be set with intention, purposes, and a level-headedness.
I haven't formally written my goals down, but they will revolve around publishing The Five Year Plan, getting Reinventing Emily Brown to the final stages of editing, and rewriting my crime novel A Town Called Chance. I'd love to also get another first draft down of something, but that might be biting off a bit much. Maybe I'll aim for attempting a new project during NaNoWriMo.
How I'm going to apply intention to other areas of my life.
What I want to focus on in 2021 is being intentional about what I do. Whether it be working out or exercise, running the family business, or home life, I want to be intentional in my choices and actions.
It means, streamlining what I can to make the best use of my time.
It means forethought into what I spend money on. Asking myself do I/we need this? Is it Australian made? Environmentally responsible? Will it serve an intentional purpose.
It means being actively intentional on how I spend my time on social media; whether for my writing or personally. We all know how much of a time-suck social media can be, and how damaging it can be to thought patterns and mental health. It's hard not to compare your life/journey/career/family/self to others. I want to think more about what I post and why I'm posting it. I also want to be more intentional as to why I am choosing to be on social media at that moment in time. Rather than picking up my phone and aimlessly scrolling I want to think about why I'm doing that and what it is achieving. And if it's purely 'just because', I want to be honest about that with myself and then give myself a time limit to do so.
After the year that 2020 was, I have come out the other side realising what is important. Being grateful for the small things and realising the things that matter to me. And with this in mind, I think it's only fitting to move forward with a greater focus on living an intentional life. Let's do this 2021. I'm ready, no matter what you throw at me! (P.S. That's not a challenge ;) )