The end of the year is near. New Year’s “goals” “resolutions” “intentions” “plans”, etc. are already drifting around town. I was in Starbucks today and witnessed three people having a tete-a-tete about their goals for 2013. Awesome. Not meaning to eavesdrop (but they were so loud), I couldn’t help but notice that not a single goal was related to who they’d be, who they’d become, how they’d feel, or who they were. This felt like a missing to me.
Years ago I banned clients from doing resolutions (snore), stopped asking clients to do goals (so heavy), and got big on asking clients to acknowledge where they’d been and who they’d become that year (kind of important). Up until this last year I was big on intentions and outcomes (still am). This year I’ve found I’ve been more interested in clients (and myself) focusing on who they want to be, and how they want to feel in 2013 – with attention, and intention, on those outcomes and plans. If who we “be” impacts what we “do” and that impacts the results we create, then this logic feels like a pretty good strategy. The feeling piece though, it was stirring me as important on a deeper level than normal heading into the end of the year. It was almost haunting me. And I don’t know if I dreamt it, or the universe was swirling it, or if Danielle LaPorte is just THAT darn powerful (probably), but feelings and wants and desires for how I wanted things to feel; ease, clear, graceful, simple, clean, abundant, alive, generous, etc…partnered with a high, almost painful, sensitivity for when they weren’t …became really important. And then, as if to say “Absolutely YES, of course, you’re welcome Anese”, I learned of Danielle LaPorte’s new program, The Desire Map.
I’m a fan of Danielle’s, I totally appreciate what she’s done, who she is, what she stands for. Completely. Her book “Big Beautiful Book Plan” that she co-created with one of my favorite friends and mentors Linda Siversten, is a gem (get it if you have any interest in writing, being published, or simply having good writing tunes playlists). I just like her. And I’d heard she was writing another book, but it wasn’t until about 2 weeks ago that I realized it was about the desire for feelings and the state you want to be in. And using THAT to guide your goal setting. Oh. I got it. It rang. And in the midst of playing an accountability game with a team of my advisors, where there is lots of numbers and structures, and goal setting… all of the sudden desire and feelings became even more important. It’s not that numbers and structures and support wasn’t important, it is. It’s just that all of the sudden I realized a missing piece. And a piece that has made those numbers and structures so much more touchable and relate-able and embraceable.
That piece is in the feelings. For me, this means paying attention to intuition, being intentional about my state and how I want to feel, and taking care of myself so my feelings are mine and not some jacked up version of them that comes from sugar, bad carbs, or no sleep. Desired feelings and state merged with a strategic plan and intentions – ROCK. Either one left alone, for me, don’t work as well. But a little of both…sometimes more here, or sometimes more there… that works.
So. Set your intentions for the coming year. Go crazy. Dream. Dream big. Plan. Knock yourself out. AND… bring your feelings into account. Bring your full self into the equation. How do you want to feel? What is the “state” you want to find yourself in? Who do you want to become?
For your state and how you want to feel, I highly recommend you grab yourself a copy of Danielle’s program. I haven’t even gone through it yet, but just listening to her preview chapter today, I know it’s going to kick beauty booty.
And for who you’re becoming… Who ARE you becoming? Connect with yourself. Your highest self. Connect with your core values. Identify them. Honor them. Agree to them. If they feel right. (Make sure they’re yours, not your mom’s.) Consider those things you so badly want to do, that will make you feel the way you desire to feel, and decide who you will have to be to create all of it. And then be that. And most of all… Enjoy. Love you, Happy December… xx