Intentions...

I love the new year! I love the fresh start it offers in so many ways. I'm not typically one for making resolutions...I'm not a planner. But I am one for setting intentions. I feel that setting intentions at the beginning of any season {or in this case year} can help to drive your actions.

Certainly, throughout my life, there have been ideas, notions, nagging, tuggings on my heart; messages that keep repeating themselves to me over and over again begging me to listen and give them some attention. For the past few weeks, I have had an overwhelming pull within me to get back to the basics in life; to simplify.

Four years ago, I was pregnant with my second child and had recently left my full time job because I couldn't stand being away from Rayne so much. I had a couple of waitressing shifts but, for the most part, we were all of a sudden living on one salary. Prior to leaving my job, I had been having the same sort of pull towards a more simple life. Then, there I was, making do with so much less than I had been and loving my life so much more. As a family, we were frugal and thrifty and happy to live on love. It was a great time in my life and I feel that I was really living mindfully. It was during that time that I started to really fill out my own skin and discover who it was that I wanted to be.

Four years, two babies, and a home based business later, we are still utilizing many of the changes that were implemented during those very frugal years. We recycle, we cook way more than we did when we were both working full time, we use the fancy new energy-conserving light bulbs in all our lights, we use cloth napkins and cloth diapers, we almost never buy bottles of water, and more of the like. We have, however, out of the preference of convenience and the slight increase in income over the past couple of years {I said SLIGHT} reverted to some of our more indulgent ways: eating out more, buying new instead of repairing, throwing on a disposable diaper or two, etc...

I want to get back to the frugal, making do, living on love place where we were four years ago. I want to do more with less, work with what we have, reap fruits from our own labors. Perhaps some of you who are reading are now thinking "WHY???" And I guess that it's something that only you can feel the need for and, ultimately, develop a preference for.

So, my intention for 2010 is to get back to the basics of life; to simplify. I want to leave it open and broad so that I'm receptive to whichever ways my intention chooses to transform my life. However, God helps those who help themselves. So in an effort to take some proactive steps in the right direction, I have come up with some specific things to work towards {aka: goals}.

1. Cap spending. {use what we have, do without, re-purpose items either from our own materials or from thrifted items}


2. Cook from scratch more {try new healthy recipes, use fresh foods, get the kids involved with meal prep.}


3. Make friends with my sewing machine {to aid in making what we want/need vs. buying new}


4. Re-kindle my love of reading {to quiet and enrich my mind}


5. Get the kids involved in household chores {help them to develop a sense of respect and responsibility for their surroundings}


6. Start journaling again {there's no better way of getting down to the nitty gritty}
7. Deepen my relationship with God {it doesn't get much more basic than that, right?}

Okay, I wanted to have ten goals but I've been writing this post for two days now and I'd really like to get on with life. Plus, I think that the seven I mentioned will provide a great starting off point.

Also, I personally need to remember that these are things to work toward; not things to do all of a sudden or all at once. Nor are they things that I will base any sort of self worth or feelings of adequacy upon. I will do the best I can, keeping my intention in my heart.

I hope that you have all welcomed 2010 with open arms and that you're getting ready...'cause it's gonna be a great year!

My Note From The Universe today read:

I want you to know, Maegan, that I've ordered up another year for you.

Think I'll call it 2010.

I'm going to put most of the same people of 2009 in it, since you all think so much alike. But there'll also be a few new, very cool cats coming to play - give them some time to grow up though.

And I'm going to have things start off pretty much exactly where they left off in 2009, for continuity's sake. Flips folks out too much when I don't.

All in all, 365 more days in paradise... and only one request of you:

DREAM BIGGER.

Coolio?

Let's do this,
The Universe

Do you guys get those? I highly recommend them!