The thrill of life is not about who we are but about who we are in the process of becoming. Similarly, the magic of our brain lies not in its constituent elements but in the way those elements unceasingly reweave themselves to form a dynamic, electric, living fabric.
Dr. David Eagleman, Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain
This year more than ever, January 31 still counts for a “Happy New Year” greeting in my book. I hope you are stepping into 2021 healthy in body, mind, and spirit and with a sense of optimism.
It’s only been over the past ten days or so that I’ve had full oxygen to reset my energy, settle my mind, and let my goals and aspirations for the year ahead percolate. A lot of muscles and skill sets (including goal reaching) atrophied in 2020’s pandemic lockdowns. Our resilience sure got a good workout, though!
My personal and professional aspirations for 2021 focus on strengthening what got weaker in 2020 and kickstarting new growth in areas of my brain and my business that will set me up for future flourishing. I’m inspired and motivated by neuroscientist David Eagleman, who explains:
The brain chronically adjusts itself to reflect its challenges and goals. It molds its resources to match the requirements of its circumstance. When it doesn’t possess what it needs, it sculpts it.
I don’t know about you, but I find Eagleman’s research pretty empowering. My 2021 goals are therefore based on who I want to continue to become.
Against that background, in no particular order of priority…
My 2021 Goals
- Deepen my antiracism learning, practice, and action — including my conversation skills with others who think differently than I do. Part of this goal is continuing to hold the space for others to join me in this work in my “Antiracism Reading and Learning” private Facebook group. If you’d like an invite, let me know. If you’re not on Facebook but are interested in participating in the book discussions or speaker events on Zoom, I can set you up with that upon request.
- Start to learn Spanish. David Eagleman’s work taught me that our brains develop fastest when something is completely new and unexpected. I used to be good at learning languages when I was younger. It’s a given that the process will take more effort in my mid-50s, but I’m tired of hearing myself say, “I regret that I never learned Spanish.” I completed my first Rosetta Stone session yesterday and it was FUN! In a course I took with Eckhart Tolle last year he said we know we’re in alignment with our purpose by asking ourself, “Is there joy, ease, and lightness in what I am doing?” I felt all of those things during my Spanish lesson yesterday. Bueno!
- Rebuild my cold weather resilience. Sometime over the past year (or two?), I became a total wimp when temperatures dropped. My son reminded me that I sat through snow and freezing temps for years at soccer games. Without a purpose now that the youth soccer years are over, I’ve gone soft. I don’t like the feeling of succumbing to resistance, so I plan to be intentional about bundling up and getting outside. I stepped into intention (and falling snow) this morning with my camera to capture the puff of snowflakes on thyme (see above).
- Listen to more music. I’ve never cultivated a very strong music habit in my adult years. I’m more likely to turn on NPR rather than music when I’m in the car and a book on tape rather than a music playlist on my phone. Inspired again by the neuroscience, I’m setting the intention to give the non-language parts of my brain more exercise by introducing more music into my day. As I type this, I have “Yo-Yo Ma Radio” playing on Spotify. If you’ve got favorite music recommendations for me, please send them along!
- Continue to expand my morning meditation programs to support more people in kickstarting or refreshing their daily practice. As I wrote in my 2020 reflection post, my rituals kept me going through the tumult, with my meditation practice being the keystone habit that supported everything else in my life. This is why I’m so passionate about supporting our morning meditation circles! The first 30-Day program of the year begins on Monday, February 23 (details and registration here). I will also be offering a mix of 15-Day programs throughout the year starting at both 7 am ET and 10 am ET.
- Continue to bring Search Inside Yourself and other mindfulness and emotional intelligence programs to an ever wider circle of organizations and individuals. I learned in 2020 that I love teaching this program virtually as well as in person. Our audiences find the content to be meaningful and impactful at work, at home, and in their communities. “Is there joy, ease, and lightness in what I am doing?” When it comes to teaching, the answer is a resounding YES (which means I’m supposed to do more of it).
- Deepen my professional learning, both my mindfulness and emotional intelligence teaching skills and my photography work. I am already registered for workshops in both areas, including a second chance at the week-long photography workshop in New Brunswick, Canada, that was canceled last year due to covid. If I’m vaccinated by September and the workshop is still on, I’ll be there!
- Get more serious about art marketing. I took a year off from this last year, but I’m feeling ready to maximize the potential of my wall art’s impact in homes, offices, and health/wellness settings. I could use some help in this area. If you know anybody with social media marketing expertise who might be a good fit for me, I’d appreciate any recommendations.
- Take more clear-cut time off. Loving my work so much requires more intentionality about taking full breaks. I learned last year that a once-a-year silent meditation retreat and family trips play that important role. I had neither of those escapes in 2020. By December I was risking burnout. Good lesson for me!
- Continue my health habit reboot throughout the year. Like many people, I ate a lot of comfort food in 2020, moved less, and gained a few pounds. I’ve rebooted the past few weeks with the help of a health app and I’m feeling much better (drinking more water, tracking my food and exercise, and being much more mindful about my eating habits). For accountability, I’m including my health habit intentions here since, like daily meditation, keeping my body healthy is essential to the rest of my purpose work.
And that’s a wrap!
This ritual of sharing my annual goals with you has become a crucial source of accountability and transformation for me over the years. Delightful surprises happen every time I articulate and announce my envisioned future.
Intention setting is a mindfulness practice itself, as it supports mental habits that strengthen our attention and awareness. What we practice grows stronger in the brain, including intention setting!
What about you? Have you reflected on your own “becoming” process to see what you’d like to tweak or where you’d like to be more intentional this year? I’d love to hear about it!
Thank you for sharing the journey with me. I hope you are as excited as I am about the potential of 2021! Let me know if I can support you along the way.
Onward together!
