intention

after reading the happiness project, i was inspired to set an intention for each month. i haven't been superb about it, but it has been in the back of my mind and bubbled up in a few ways.

for january, i focused a lot of my energy on banishing guilt, as i tend to feel guilty about EVERYTHING. i was constantly talking about guilt, trying to identify the times i felt it when it was not necessary or appropriate. trying to "name it" each time i felt it creep in. i'm pretty sure brandon got tired of hearing the word, but i don't feel guilty about focusing on it. :)

in february i picked a much more practical focus: zipping my purse. it may sound insanely trivial, but i've been a pretty angry soul lately and my anger tends to manifest itself when i have to deal with problems that i could have avoided (had i not been lazy). not having to deal with the contents of my purse spilling out all over the backseat of the car when i grab my bag in a hurry, has been good for my mood. and symbolic of life.

for march, i am focusing on pursuing peace. quite the nebulous goal, i'll admit. but i started the month with an important decision to turn down a decent size raise in favor of quality of life. i recognize that regardless of how much money i make, it won't bring peace (i also recognize the first-worldness of this statement and admit that my scale of reference is not poverty). i feel peace about the decision to turn down the job i was offered and know that, for me, choosing to work at a job where i can ride my bike to work, see brandon at lunch, and have time to vacation trumps any number on a paycheck.

the other way i am focusing on peace this month is to reduce or avoid judgment. i found this quote:

Let’s trade in all our judging for appreciating. Let’s lay down our righteousness and just be together.-Ram Dass

for me, this is one of my paths to peace. hopefully my monthly intentions stick with me and last longer than their four week focus.