How to be Intentional in 2021
Happy New Year!
Have you got a list of New Year’s resolutions ready? Or, like me, do you know there’s little point coming up with any because they’ll be broken before the week is up? I’m not a great fan of resolutions but I do believe in being intentional about the year ahead, so every January my husband, David, and I do something a little different.
I hope those questions have got you thinking about being intentional in the year ahead. I wish you a joyful, fruitful and peaceful 2021.
Have you got a list of New Year’s resolutions ready? Or, like me, do you know there’s little point coming up with any because they’ll be broken before the week is up? I’m not a great fan of resolutions but I do believe in being intentional about the year ahead, so every January my husband, David, and I do something a little different.
We try to set aside January to look forward and think about all we want to do, achieve and be in the next twelve months. We also plan how we want to serve, grow and love. We decline invitations (not that there are many to have in another UK lockdown), we give up watching DVDs and spend the extra time focusing on getting our house in order and making plans for the year.
We tried this over 10 years ago and have found that the years that seem to go better are the ones where we've been able to set aside January better. If you would like to spend some time being intentional about 2021, here are seven questions to get you started. I hope that you find them helpful as you look ahead together.- 1) What do you want to be different by the end of the year?
Imagine yourself in twelve months time. As you look back over 2021, what was different about the year? Be specific. Write it down and/or draw a picture. Next think about what needs to happen for that difference to take place? Again be specific and write down some steps. What help or support might you need to achieve those steps or goals? How will you know when that change has happened? How will you measure your progress? - 2) Which relationships do you want to invest in?
Most of us can only maintain up to twelve close relationships at one time. Who are the 12 (or less) relationships that you want to invest in this year? How can you be deliberate about making sure you give these people your time, energy and attention? Who or what do you need to say “no” to, in order to say “yes” to these 12 relationships? - 3) How do you want to grow, improve or change over the next 12 months?
This will be very personal to you. What would you like to develop about yourself and your marriage over the next year? What do you need to do in order to make sure that you commit to that growth? What help, support, training, coaching, encouragement or accountability will you need? How will you know that you have made the change you want? - 4) How do you want to serve, give or love?
What impact do you want to have on others this year? How will you use your gifts, time or money to improve or help the lives of others? How can you be intentional about the way you spend your time? - 5) How do you want to grow in your relationship with God?
What is God asking you to focus on for this next season? Do you need to dig deeper into His word, spend more time in prayer or disciple others? Or are you the one that could benefit from some futher discipling? Or do you need to just “be still” and know that He is Lord? Why not take some time over the next few days, either on your own or together and pray about what God wants for you this year? - 6) What do you want to create this year?
This is a question my last coach used to ask me during our coaching sessions. It can be a really useful question to help pinpoint your desires and trigger your creativity. What would you love to create? It could be anything from baking a Victoria Sponge cake to helping achieve World Peace or anything in between. What steps could you take this week to start the process? - 7) What word or phrase do you want to sum up your 2021?
What would you love this year to be about for you? Is it a year of growth, healing, transformation, expansion, peace, joy, new beginnings, adventure or something completely different? What word or phrase do you want to pick to sum up your hopes for 2021? You might want to write your word or draw a picture to illustrate it and put it somewhere you can see it as a reminder.
I hope those questions have got you thinking about being intentional in the year ahead. I wish you a joyful, fruitful and peaceful 2021.