Intention Setting with Danielle Doby
Setting Intentions for 2019 with Danielle Doby
The end of the year can often bring up many different feelings. It is only natural that you may find yourself sentimental for what was, discouraged for what wasn't, hopeful for what is to come, shouting hallelujah for what will no longer be.
As we begin to say goodbye to 2018, take a moment to stop and reflect back, so you can then move forward with clarity, gratitude and intention. Use these four simple practices as guides to get still, get curious and get clear on where you are, where you want to go and who you want to be in the new year ahead of you.
The Practice | Check Out to Check In
Put your phone down, step away from your to-do list, go to a quiet place and be with the moment, as you are, in all that you are. Find a comfortable seat that allows you to feel both comfortable and connected. Sit up tall, place one hand on your chest, the other resting on your belly. Close your eyes, unclench your jaw, relax your shoulders and begin to slowly inhale and exhale in a fluid movement that feels expansive. After a few cycles of breath, scan your inner landscape and repeat this rhythm until you feel a sense of calm and ease.
The Practice | Get Real
Grab your lucky pen, a cup of tea, your favorite journal and take a few minutes to reflect on the past year by asking yourself the following questions:
What were the high highs and low lows?
What moments brought you fully alive?
What moments made you feel small?
Did you let go of any belongings, beliefs or relationships?
In what ways did you use this time to grow? Or maybe, stay stuck?
Did you ever say yes, when you wanted to say no?
No, when you wanted to scream a loud YES?
Is there any goal you didn't achieve that you still want to?
Is there any goal that you conquered, you forgot to stop and celebrate?
In the next year, how do you want to feel?
The Practice | Uncover the Magic
Now, with the answers you wrote down, where can you find the learnings? The gratitude? The growth? Do you see any patterns? Any invitations to go bigger? What discoveries have you feeling heavy or light in your body? What do you want to take with you into 2019, and what do you choose to release and leave behind? What do you need to commit to right now, so you can feel the way you want to feel? So you become the you, you know you can be?
With these questions in mind, and all the information you just gathered through our reflection practice, write a few declarations down -- affirmative statements about yourself that are written in the present tense as if they are already true. A few examples are:
I am learning.
I am at home in my body.
My work is needed, and it matters.
My past does not define me, it prepared me for this moment.
I choose to let it go and make room for the new gifts that are making their way to me.
The Practice | Tell The Universe Who You Are
What are your declarations? Who do you declare to be? What kind of life do you declare into existence? Keep your declarations close and alive. Write them in lipstick on your bathroom mirror, post them on your refrigerator, use them as a silent mantra while you're stuck in traffic, give them a voice and enroll the world in what you're calling in for yourself.
You can revisit these practices throughout the year as needed. Allow your declarations to shift and evolve alongside you. They are here to serve you, acting as guiding lights that help you move forward fearlessly into choosing your best life. A life that is yours, moment by moment, crafted entirely of your own design.
Written by Danielle Doby
Photos by Britney Gill
For more inspiration from Danielle, follow her on Instagram and pick up a copy of her new book, I Am Her Tribe