5 Intentional Ways to Shift Your Thinking and Improve Your Mental Wellbeing
Probably like many of you, the new year brings thoughts of “what I can do differently this year?” 2023 is no exception. After giving it quite a bit of thought, I come up with 5 ways to positively impact my life and stretch me outside of my comfort zone. These ideas might even allow me to positively impact others. Unlike New Year’s Resolutions which few people ever succeed at, I’m confident intentions will easily be new habits that stick!
So here are my 5 Monthly Intentions for 2023!
Act of Service – Pretty simple and straightforward. I am committing to one act of service per month. I will find an opportunity that allows me to positively impact my community. Whether it is as simple as volunteering at a local charity, taking canned goods to the food bank, cleaning up trash at the neighborhood park, or helping a neighbor with a task – I will seek out a way to step up and give back to others every month.
Give Something to Someone Else – Think about how you feel when you are given something for no reason. Someone gives you a small bouquet of flowers, a special card with a handwritten sentiment, or a gift card for a cup of coffee. And it isn’t a holiday or their birthday. Giving something to someone else, whether it’s a new item or something you already had that has meaning to you, it can truly make someone’s day and have a positive impact on their life. When we show others kindness and generosity for no reason, it promotes a culture of giving and gratitude, a feeling of community. I will select someone every month and surprise them with something special I picked just for them.
Try One New Thing – It’s so easy to fall into a rut. Sometimes we need to push ourselves out of our comfort zone and live a little! Trying one new thing every month allows us to expand our horizons and discover new interests and passions. New experiences can help to boost creativity and increase self-confidence. Some ideas for new things: try a new hobby, sample some new foods or cuisine, visit a new place you’ve wanted to go, or meet some new people. A friend of mine is going to start taking dance classes – that’s awesome! I will find something new to try every month, mixing up the ideas so I get a nice sampling of new experiences.
Reading Challenge – While my youngest daughter was home from college for winter break, we decided to create a family reading challenge. A new genre for every month. We can select our own book to read, as long as we stick with the genre (i.e., January – a book I never read in school but always wanted to). Remember you don’t have to purchase books; most communities have great libraries.
Have you always wanted to do a book club? This is such an easy way to create one or join an existing book club in your neighborhood, at work, or with friends. Virtual book clubs - where you jump on a video call with the members has become so popular since the pandemic. You don’t even need to get in your car! Shut off the TV and grab a book – you’ll be so happy you did. I will complete our family’s reading challenge each month.
Use What You Have – I love this one! With living in a consumer-driven society, it can be easy to fall into the habit of buying new things without giving much thought to what we already have. It can seem harmless to impulsively pick up a couple of new things while we’re shopping because there’s a sale on bath towels, some great-smelling candles, or a new shade of lipstick. What about the great new golf shirt with new and improved wicking fabric that we just have to have with golf season just around the corner…!
Let’s face it, retailers are on to us. Amazon has us figured out! They push suggestions to us on their websites – ideas based on our shopping habits. We also get bombarded with emails and even text messages about a new sale we can’t miss out on! And let’s not start on all the “rewards” programs out there to keep us coming back.
So let’s hit the pause button. If we adopt a philosophy that we will use up what we have before we buy something new, we can accomplish a number of objectives. 1. We will save money. Period. 2. We will help reduce waste and clutter. Just how many different bottles of hand lotion do we need? 3. It will increase the appreciation for the things we already own and if we have kiddos at home, we set the example of being responsible and not buying impulsively. By making a conscious effort to use up what we have FIRST before buying new, we can develop a more intentional and sustainable lifestyle. I will use what I have before buying new. I will only replace items as they become no longer usable. If I am in need of any new clothing items, I will donate two items for every one item I have purchased.
We change our lives through intentional acts. When those intentional acts help us grow as a person and also positively impact others, everyone wins! What are you willing to commit to this year?
