My One Word for 2019: Intention
My guiding word for 2019 is Intention. It is my reminder to be intentional about my choices and what I commit to. In the past year, I've worked hard on my boundaries and on defining what I want. This coming year will be my opportunity to grow closer to my potential. Intention requires boundaries to not be volunteered into situations that do not align with my goals. And it calls for clear communication and action as to where I want my life to develop towards.
My word for 2018 was Awareness. What started off as an exercise in tracking some key metrics, evolved into an exercise of self-discovery and definition. I wanted to know where I stand and ended up discovering where I want to go. Recognizing (and acknowledging) what YOU want is the first step towards joyful excellence. You can only step into your full potential once you realize where you want to direct that energy.
Looking Back: Movement Is The New Normal
Emotionally, 2018 was a tough year. I separated for good and moved out, accepting that “normal” is not what I am thriving for. Learning to share child-rearing 50:50 was both a challenge, and a blessing. It allowed me to ease back into my own, oscillating between social travel and parenting and introverted recovery.
Personally, 2018 was a productive year. I published my new website https://valentinathoerner.com. I wrote a book. I traveled to different conferences and meetups (# # #). I traveled for and by myself. I traveled to spend time with friends, both in and outside Catalunya. I spent more time with my family than any year since I left Germany 15 years ago. And I hosted about a dozen social events at my place, with and without kids. And I read 50 books (both for work and for fun)
Professionally, 2018 was a fast-paced year. I onboarded seven new team members. I consciously made time for brain-picking sessions with current and former co-workers. I volunteered to take over financial reporting while the WooCommerce Director of Finance was on sabbatical. I learned more about GDPR than the average person would want to know. I might have worked too many hours.
I started to see the difference (and overlap) between my expectations and those of others. I feel less scared of upholding my boundaries where needed. And I plan to continue doing so.
Special thanks to my business coach Steph Vora and my personal strategy coach Lea Woodward who helped me to turn awareness into intention and direction.
Looking Ahead: Acting in Alignment with Myself
I know what I want. And I know how to defend from what I do not want. These are the two main requirements for creating clear intention. The next twelve months, when in doubt, I am going to ask myself: What are my intentions in this situation? What can I do / What can I stop doing to move this situation closer to my preferred outcome. Maybe this sounds egocentric. But maybe it's time I started intentionally living within the framework of my own core values - instead of blindly fulfilling the expectations others put on me.
Me being me, I’ve already taken a couple of decisions to integrate this mindset into my decisions, and with a bit of luck, I’ll be able to share results with you over the year. Intentionally.