Vision for a New Year
I sat down today to create a vision for 2019.
As I contemplated how I’d like the year to look and feel, a little framework emerged that feels like it could be helpful for others. It flows from both the lasting changes I’ve made on my own journey, and concepts like the importance of rhythms and seasons I’ve heard Rob Bell speak so beautifully about.
Take any of it you like, make it your own, and feel free to share with others! I’d love to hear if it’s helpful in creating the year you want to experience.
Vision for a New Year
The items below represent categories to fill with a few practices, steps, or concepts on which you’ll build your days and weeks and seasons. There may be some overlap, Self Care practices in your Daily Rhythms, for example. It’s all very flexible, and keeping it to a few things will help keep it simple and doable.
A Word About Work
You’ll notice that Work is last on the list. It has been last on my list for years, because along with simply not wanting a life that is centered on work, I have long understood that what I am taking to work is my whole self. I am taking my creativity and my relational skills and my vision. All of those things are infinitely better when my life is centered on my heart and my peace.
As Americans, we have a really unhealthy workaholic culture. We tend to worship busyness for its own sake and wear our frantic pace and constant connection to work as badges of honor.
That is just simply not the way I want to spend my precious limited days on this planet, and what’s more, it’s completely unnecessary. There are certainly variations in levels of busyness and required connection from job to job, but we have infinite choices about how we set up our lives and where we set our boundaries. Being frantic - the energy we give to constantly repeating that narrative of our insane busyness and scarcity of time - is also 100% a choice, and I believe rarely helps with actually getting quality work done.
Work has long been at the bottom of my list, and I venture a guess that those who work with me would agree that whatever I’m doing is serving me - and them - very well.
So, without further ado, here’s my little framework! May it help you create the life you want.
Rhythms
Daily Rhythms
Examples: Morning/evening rituals, intention setting, focus
Weekly Rhythms
Examples: Sunday night/workweek preparation, midweek recharging, Friday night celebration
Seasonal Rhythms
Examples: Decor, planting, clothing, foods, celebrations
Lifestyle
Self Care
Examples: Intentional eating, sleeping, movement, focus, self-talk
Love and Connection
Intentional connection and relationship building with those closest and/or those you desire to be closest to. Examples: Texting, calling, inviting, getting together
Community
Intentional building of the community you want. Examples: Connecting with people you’d like to know better, engaging in activities you love
Voices
Influences
Intentionally curating the voices that surround you. Examples: Family, friends, social media follows, news and media sources, books/TV/movies/music, etc.
My Voice in the World
Intentionally creating and owning what you speak into the world. Examples: Conversations in community, social media posts, etc.
Giving Back/Creating the World I Want
Intentionally creating the world you want to see. Examples: Contributions of time or money, creating solutions to problems, just generally being the change you want to see.
Work
All of the above, just in miniature for work!