Be Intentional

Time is slipping away from us.

It seems like the past year just flew by. Unfortunately, we feel that as a family we were more reactive than proactive. The days simply passed us by. We didn't have a real plan in place for living the past year to its fullest.

My wife said that she felt we had so much wasted time. We wasted time forcing our kids to act a certain way rather than appreciating who they are. We wasted time being angry with things outside of our control. And we wasted time neglecting things within our control.

We are not big on New Year's resolutions. I don't think a date on a calendar is the best reason to enact life change. Of course, we look to a new year and think about what we could do differently or change in the new year. New Year's resolutions seem to fail because people feel an obligation to make a change. I think real change comes about with a heartfelt moving need for change. This is exactly what we felt after looking at our past year (really, past couple of years) of reactive behavior.

We have a new mantra for this year -- Be Intentional.

How are we going to be intentional?

We have written down a number of objectives to work on over the next few days, weeks, and months. I am a firm believer in writing things down. It is motivating to me. It allows me opportunity to look back and gauge my success. Honestly, if I don't write things down, I cannot remember my plans. I get distracted or just absent-minded. I cannot tell you how many times I sit on the couch, scrolling aimlessly through Instagram, wondering what I should do (see, it's another example of wasted time). Writing things down helps me focus and gives me purpose.

I've started writing down a list of daily tasks (writing this post is one of the items on today's list). I love crossing items of the list. Aahhh! That feels rewarding. I have, however, given myself some grace. If I don't cross out every item every day, I'm not going to beat myself up. This is a process. For example, yesterday I woke up with a killer migraine. I was unable to cross off most of the items on my list. But that's O.K. Today is a new day, and I'll cross off what I can cross off of today's list. Hopefully most days I'll accomplish most of my To Do List.

In addition to writing items down, we're also preparing and planning more. Over the past years, we have flown by the seat of our pants. What's for dinner? Did we put out anything for dinner? We asked the question too late in the game in the past. No more. We're trying to prepare and plan a menu item. I know it's a simple act, but it's one way we can be intentional. It also makes us accountable for a healthier lifestyle (another thing about which we want to be intentional).

Preparing includes having a plan for the future. We're ready to take the world on by our terms, no longer react to what is thrown at us. This will involve some vision-casting, maybe even a vision board. We want to be successful at the things that make our hearts sing rather than being stressed or unhappy in a ho-hum, life of mediocrity.

We also will be intentional about guarding family time rather than succumbing to the draw of digital zombiehood. You know what I'm talking about -- those times when the family of four is in the same room but miles away from each other since each person in on a digital device. Last night, we intentionally gathered around the dinner table. My daughter and I created a small garden. My wife and son created a spin art machine and then our son created some spin art. We'll be more intentional about family activities that are not digitally based.

What's past is past. We cannot change it. But we do have some control over what our future looks like. We will be intentional and make it great. I ran across this quote by Theodore Roosevelt, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." He could have said get off your keister and do something. Don't waste this opportunity. We're praying for success and trusting that any step is a step in the right direction.