May Intenions
Posted by Kaileen Elise on May 2nd, 2010
If you hear a voice within you say, ‘You cannot paint,’
then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.
(Vincent van Gogh)
Do you sit down and set goals or intentions for the month ahead? Do you contemplate where you’d like to go and all you’d like to accomplish?
I find that when I sit down to plan ahead, things go my way much more often than when I go wherever the wind takes me. There is excitement and pleasure in both approaches, but it is wonderful to know that I can influence my life when I set out on a certain path.
This May, I am setting out on a journey to find the perfect day—one that combines the essential elements to my happiness in a seemingly effortless way. I should preface this by saying that I’m not in search of a magical and unrealistic set of 24 hours, but rather one that encompasses all that is wonderfully possible within my given circumstance.
Key ingredients for an ordinarily extraordinary day might include:
LOVE
sharing a kiss from my mister, receiving a letter from a dear friend, making a call to a family member, recognizing the light in a stranger’s soul
PEACE
writing in my journal, meditating, practicing yoga, reading an inspirational book, connecting with nature
HEALTH
getting a good night’s rest, sweating for 20 minutes, stretching my legs, exercising my mind, eating a nourishing meal, going for a run, embracing carefree indulgence
SELF-CARE
lotion after a shower, soft sheets in bed, chic work clothes, fine accessories, positive self-talk, affirmations, smiling from my soul, listening to podcasts, enjoying my own company
DELIGHT
discovering a new blog, watching a bird play in the wind, making a personal connection, succeeding at work, sharing a laugh, breathing deep, living in the moment
ABUNDANCE
finding a $100 bill, coming across an unexpected check in the mail, receiving an unsolicited guest blogging invitation, opening a care package from a friendly acquaintance
SPARKLE
wearing lip gloss, enjoying a mani/pedi, making a stranger smile, singing loudly in the car, shopping for a new pair of shoes, putting glitter on a creative project
These loosely tied ingredients embody the essence of my ideal day. Like most, I wake up and go to work. I get home with less hours of free-time than I’d like. While these may be truths in my immediate day-to-day, I am seeking an adventure far more rewarding that going through the motions. This month, I am on a journey to discover my ordinarily extraordinary day.
image credit: john-morgan
What a special surprise this beautiful morning. I will be going to Bible Study this morning and taking Emily out for nice slacks and a couple of blouses. Emily starts heer first job tomorrow at Macys. You my dear are an incredibile young woman, I never know what to expect, but always exceptional. I am one lucky grandmother that God chose me to be your grandmother. Have a beautiful, sunny and peaceful day. Unconditional love always, your grammie
I like the customization aspect you have laid out here. Starting our day with this mindset makes us more intentional of including all that does make our happy – we find the time
Kaileen, you made your grandmother so proud that she called me this morning. You post for May is wonderful. And you are an amazing daughter. I love you, Dad
Thank you…this has inspired me today.
ke: i love this post. your intentions to integrate these pillars of life into your day are balanced & beautiful…i am with you for that journey!!! totally writing these down! i need more of these components in my life!
and your grammie’s comment? gushhhhh i love it.
Wonderful post! I think you’ve done an amazing job of distilling the essence of a good day into a few key components. Reading your post not only made me hope to incorporate more of those components into my own life, but made me feel like it would be really easy to brighten someone else’s day by helping them have some of the experience you describe.
ke: i love this post. your intentions to integrate these pillars of life into your day are balanced & beautiful…i am with you for that journey!!! totally writing these down! i need more of these components in my life!