January Goals.

If you're an OG blog reader, you might remember that for a long time I used to set monthly intentions. At some point I got distracted by other goal-setting and tracking methods, and fell out of favor with this monthly reflection habit. (I've obviously also fallen off the blogging wagon on multiple occasions, which I'm sure hasn't helped the matter at all.)

However, since becoming co-dependent with my Inkwell Press planner last year, I'm back on a monthly planning schedule. The month-at-a-glance calendar is perfect for giving me a "real life" overview of the month, but what I really love are the mission boards. Filling it out has become a simple way for me to consider my goals and intentions for the month ahead. I love how Inkwell inspires you to not only keep your to-do's organized, but also think about the other pieces of life that make up the whole of you, including personal time, your health, and even big dreams. I really do think that it's the first planner that has worked for me because it is all-encompassing.

But this post is not meant to be a[nother] rave about Inkwell Press. As an extension of my planning process, I want to bring back my monthly goal/intention posts to the blog. I wouldn't say I'm going hardcore on any big goals this year, so it's not about breaking big goals into 12 pieces, but rather experimenting with some smaller tasks and habits as a way of bringing me closer to my values and the way I want to feel throughout the year. As a general guide, I'm dividing my goals/intentions into the categories of body, mind, and spirit, as well as including a monthly musing on how I might want to engage with my One Little Word (Light). I plan on checking back in at the end of each month.

JANUARY GOALS

BODY |  Use a standing desk when editing videos and doing administrative work.
I have some back and hip pain that is often exacerbated by prolonged sitting. And I know sitting is killing us anyways. I've tried to transition to a standing desk in the past, but when it comes to doing my writing, I've found that it's almost impossible for me to write while standing. It's like my brain doesn't work that way. However, I have discovered that standing while doing certain mindless or tedious computer tasks is no problem, so that is where I want to start. Even if I can't make a standing desk work while writing, at least I won't be sitting down all the time.

MIND | Complete two writing sessions using creative writing prompts.
Creative writing is still something that is extremely challenging for me. I mean, I was trained as a journalist, so to write more from the heart and imagination is quite the 180º. I think my ability to write more freely is in there somewhere, but it's currently stuck under a bunch of rules and self-judgements. So, in an effort to loosen up, I want to start with two creative writing exercises this month. It's not much, but I really need to start small here.

SOUL | Start my morning by reading for 1/2-1 hour instead of picking up my phone or computer.
Pretty self-explanatory. I think a peaceful start to the morning spent doing something I care about would set my day off on the right foot and hopefully that good energy would continue throughout the day. I have enough screen-time that I don't need to start as soon as my eyes open. And I've found that—even in the evening—my reading is too often displaced by mindless scrolling (Instagram, I just can't quit you). I'd much rather a book be my default than my phone.

LIGHT | Clear my laptop of excess files and clutter.
Between photo and videos for my YouTube channel and the fact that I very stupidly fried my external hard drive by accident, my computer is running low on space. And I know there are so many things I could delete, like all the photos where I've taken 100 different versions and saved them all. I'll eventually get another hard drive when I stop being cheap, but I still don't need to save *everything.* Let it gooooo. It'll be tedious, but I really need to go through my files.

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{Blog photo: Image via Death To The Stock Photo, text via Cocorrina's 2015 Calendar}