I started this summer by making a deliberate decision to slow down… to take time to enjoy being with my family. (You can read more about that here). I knew I had limited time with my son before he left for a 10-month program in Budapest and I wanted to be present for him and for ‘us’. It was a great summer, and we spent lots of time together doing everything from swimming to cooking, sharing morning smoothie bowls (here are a few our favorites: Very Berry Chocolate Smoothie Bowl, Green Smoothie Parfait, Acai Swirl), enjoying long late dinners on the deck, and even just hanging out talking. I feel so grateful that I made that choice. Keeping my intention clear made it easier for me to make decisions with that focus in my mind.
Making the conscious choice to slow down offered me an opportunity to understand a little more about myself at this moment in my life. I believe that many of us work on autopilot, operating in a sort of pattern. It actually took a lot for me to commit to taking a step back from my work for the benefit of my family. To be fair, nothing is as powerfully motivating for me as spending time with them. However, being passionately driven to help others live a healthier life can be all-consuming. I realized as the summer went on that my decision to dial it back was based on my commitment to my family, just as my commitment to work as hard as I do is motivated by my desire to serve others. I started to wonder why it is so difficult, so unnatural, to make a commitment to something just for myself?
So, this Fall I am setting my intentions toward working on a better balance for realizing my own goals and desires. In addition to the work I love so much, I intend to create space for the things that I personally need and desire, such as daily time for meditation and exercise, for exploring my creativity, both in the kitchen and in my studio (Did you know that I paint? You can see a few of my pieces here: The Dead Sea, A Pair of Pears, Blaze), for spending more time with my friends and family, and for educating myself on local politics and how I can be more effective. I saw firsthand this summer how making others a priority enriched all of our lives. Now I resolve to also make myself and my goals more of a priority. But I am very conscious that in doing so, I am also declaring that I am worth prioritizing! So many of us set our intentions based on others, and that is an invaluable piece of the puzzle. But if you are like me, you often lose sight of yourself in your attempts to be all things to all people. Come along with me and validate your own needs as you set your priorities for this upcoming fall season.
Now, I’d love to hear from you. Are you inspired to create an intention for yourself? What kinds of things would you like to achieve or create?
Why not pour yourself a steamy turmeric latte and give it some thought. Click here for my favorite recipe. Then come back and let me know your thoughts.
Focusing on us,
