For the past few years I have been doing an introspective intention setting exercise at the start of the year. I love my strategic planning exercise to get really concrete and detailed about what I want to accomplish in the next year, and this intention setting exercise has a different way of guiding me along my path.
Welcome 2013 With Intention Setting and Introspection
What this intention exercise does is ask you to choose one word that will act like an anchor throughout the year, so that you can focus on what makes you feel your best.
I’ve been doing this exercise for the past 3 years, and I’ve found that it helps to review the past year or two before you set your intention for the one coming ahead.
- In 2010 my word was Confidence. I absolutely exceeded my definition of confidence by swimming with sharks while scuba diving, taking the stage in some of my first big public speaking gigs, and just putting myself out there in a more confident way in general.
- In 2011 my word was Best. I used this as a word to check in with myself constantly to ensure I was doing my best in every moment, and that I was focusing on being the best at what I was doing. Interestingly, this is the year that I went from doing raw food coaching to making websites professionally again.
- In 2012 my word was Be Seen. It was time for me to stop being a behind-the-scenes person on other people’s businesses as a web designer, and become the front runner and face of my own business. 2012 brought all kinds of changes, from letting go of web design entirely to focusing solely on consulting and creating my own products, an edgy photo shoot, more speaking gigs, and the new Nathalie Lussier Media brand.
Stolen Moments of Inspired Action
Last summer my husband and I were invited to dinner and drinks on a chartered boat in Toronto’s harbor, to a team event for my husband’s work.
We had both been traveling to the United States on and off for months, and it was the perfect opportunity to just let go and enjoy the sunset together on the water.
While everyone on the boat was busy chatting downstairs about work, we sneaked up to the roof to dance our buns off to some addictive dance songs.
It was spontaneous, and it felt like we were the only ones on the boat. Like we owned it, and we knew how to make the most of it.
We had a great time dancing and taking pictures as the sun set. It was romantic as can be, and it sparked something inside of me that came back around as I was choosing my word for 2013.
Ownership.
Intention Setting: My word for 2013 is Ownership.
The dictionary definition of ownership is the act, state, or right of possessing something.
In the past few years I’ve been working toward total ownership: confidence, being my best and owning what I’m great at, being seen and owning it.
I’m shifting toward an ownership mentality around my business. Looking at ways to build that into the way I interact with it, treat it, and talk about it.
I’m taking ownership of my new home office space, decorating it and really owning how I want to feel when I walk into my office to work.
I’m ready to own all of my gifts and talents, and really see them as others are seeing them.
I’m taking ownership of my dreams, and making them a reality. Just thinking about my upcoming book in terms of ownership changes the way I plan to create it.
I’m ready to think like a full and complete owner when it comes to my business, creating teams around my vision, setting up a new structure for it, and really owning what I want to create.
Want more introspective intention setting exercises?
An exercise I love was created by my friend Jamie Ridler, and it takes the vision board even further through a set of vision cards to really unearth your vision for the new year.
What I love about this exercise is that it uses your intuition to help you chart your course and discover hidden dreams that might have been at the outside of your consciousness… and that are now ready to take shape through your vision cards!
Definitely check out Jamie’s vision cards workshop, because this woman has creativity in her bones and she’s ready to help you unleash yours, too!
Finally, check out Christine Kane’s Word of the year discovery tool, the little ebook that started this whole intention setting momentum years ago. She’s recently updated it if you need a little more inspiration on choosing your own word of the year!
What’s your word? Leave a comment below.
I want to know what word you’re going to use as an anchor this year. After doing this intention setting exercise, leave a comment below and tell me your word!
Leave a link if you’ve written a post about your word!
