A New Year, A Better Version of You!

Happy New Year! Hopefully we are all starting off after much rest and relaxation amidst the hustle and bustle the holidays oftentimes bring. So how do we kick off the new year? Do you sit with a cup of your favorite beverage and contemplate new opportunities, or time to finish a project you started in the prior year.  Do you label these tasks as resolutions or intentions? Whatever you use as the overarching label, may your planning be fun-filled and may it generate a better version of you.

Most individuals think about setting resolutions. What are they? These are the written goals for what you would like to accomplish:

✔ Lose Weight

✔ Write a book

✔ Find a new job or switch careers

✔ Save for a new property

✔ Vacation planning for a girl’s trip

The list can go on and on. Mistakes we make include not writing down these initiatives or stating “why” the goal is important to you. A common disregard is to track the resolution mentally and simply trying to wing it when time allows. One essential benefit to staying on course is inviting an accountability partner along the journey. Aah, someone else can remind you of what and why you want to achieve your goal.

According to Jeff Shuck, author of the article Goals Versus Intentions: Setting Conscious New Year’s Resolutions, while goals and intentions are similar, they remain different. Goals represent what we hope to achieve with our lives; intentions represent how we hope to be as we live our lives.

Given this distinction, we should note that intentions guide us on what we will stake or actions we will employ as we accomplish our goals. Intentions are within and allow us to fuel the goals authentically and organically. So as an instance, writing a book may seem like a long, arduous, time-consuming task. Perhaps framing it as an intention may help. Convey that you would love to capture your ideas for one hour per week over a three-month duration. Indicate that you will dedicate this time to boost your self-care and self-discovery and you will commit the time with ease and patience. Now that’s the formation of a well-intentioned plan toward an exciting goal of becoming an author.

Perhaps, you are seeking to join a community of like-minded, professional women who possess a strong sense of empowering each other and giving back to the community through mentorship and volunteerism. If that’s your goal, then the paired intentions may be the comradery that you will find and embrace through networking. Or, it can be confidential discussions with a seasoned coach to develop your emotional intelligence,  to grow daily gratitude and increase your confidence. Sisters Breaking Glass Together (SBGT) could be that portal to making this plan successful and worthwhile. 

Members of SBGT recognize the value of commitment. Being committed to one’s intentions means that you are willing to set and follow daily habits to align with your purpose.

No matter what you commit to, do it will all your heart. Start knowing that you’re one step closer. Be patient with yourself and before you know it, a better you will be within reach.

Richly to your success,
Dr. Simone

Simone Arnold is a vice president of product management at a Fortune 500 Company. As the Founder and Chief Inspiration Officer of MotivEight, LLC, she is a renowned keynote speaker and storyteller, mentor, and coach. She is also an alumna and contributor to the Center for Education and Information Technology Research and the Center for Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Research at the University of Phoenix. She researches emotional intelligence, workplace diversity, and statistical procedures and applications for continuous performance development. She holds a Doctor of Management degree in Organizational Leadership from the University of Phoenix.