studio A: january 2006
capturing life. creating art.
2006 Intentions
from Creating Keepsakes Magazine
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I’m a “celebrate the beginning of a new year” type of gal. I welcome the chance to reflect on the past year, give thanks and remember that life is good. January is the perfect time to look ahead and be open to new beginnings.
While I’m in this frame of mind, I like to create something tangible that will be a reminder in the months to come about what I intend for my life. Following are four intention-inspired items I’ve created to encourage me during this coming year.
About a year ago, my thoughts on New Year’s resolutions changed after I read artist Andrea Scher’s blog at www.superherodesigns.com. Rather than creating a resolution list that makes you feel deprived, Andrea suggests making a “list of intentions that get you truly inspired.” Andrea reminds us that the word “inspire” is “about giving breath or giving life” and suggests that “simply reframing your intentions makes them so much more inviting and fun to pursue.” With this in mind, I created the page shown here.
Instead of “I will stop spending so much time on the computer,” use something more positive like “I intend to create a balance between my work and play.” Empower yourself. Inspire yourself.
To create your intentions lists, carve out a couple of minutes, then grab pen and paper and start writing. When you’re done, gather your favorite supplies and create a scrapbook page celebrating your lists. If you’re feeling even more inspired, put together a special mini book for an in-depth look at your intentions for 2006. This year I put my intention list in a tin from Autumn Leaves’ foof-a-La line. I love that I can hold these intentions in my hands and feel inspired by the words inside. The tin sits on my desk as a reminder of all that I intend for my life this year.
After completing your list, recruit family members to make lists of their own. This page showcases my husband’s lists. I love reading them, and I loved working on this page. It will last as a record for Chris of where he was, is and would like to be in 2006.
Don’t feel like writing much? You can always create a visual intention layout. Use photos and simple phrases to communicate your desires for the year ahead. Come on, do this for YOU!
Ali’s notes:
Express your intentions visually with photos.
Hang the page on your wall as a reminder of your focus for the year.
Write additional thoughts directly on the photos.
Ali Edwards, the Contributing Editor of Creating Keepsakes Magazine, and author of A Designer’s Eye for Scrapbooking. Her job is simple. She takes photographs, writes stories, and brings them together with a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Ali can be reached via email at ali.edwards@mac.com, Visit her Web site at http://www.aliedwardsdesign.com/ or http://aliedwards.typepad.com and sign up for her free weekly e-zine, AEzine.
Ali’s 2006 Intentions:
PLAY: I intend to recapture a sense of playfulness in my life. To remember that life is for living and that play is a huge part of a full life. To play with Simon. To play with art and words and images. To be present while playing. Fully appreciating the awesome power of play.
READ: I intend to read a little something everyday. Something that is enriching or funny or serious or true or made-up. Interesting bits of this and that. Pushing boundaries in my mind. Learning from the stories of others. Helping me to tell my own.
EXPERIENCE: I intend to step out of the hotel when I am visiting a town for CKU or another teaching event. I am going to all these cool places – I need to get out and have at least one experience, at least take one photo, outside of the hotel. Breathe the air. See something.
LISTEN: I intend to listen with a more compassionate heart. To open all my senses. To be available and not distant. To listen without judgments, reservations, preconceived notions, or any other blocks. To listen to every word. To seek to understand. To remember I am not all knowing.
BREATHE: I intend to breathe fresh air more. To just get outside and ride my bike and go for walks and open windows. To move my body outside. Everyday. To be a good example to Simon of healthy living. Of thankfulness for the outdoors. A bit of reverence for the beauty of nature and fresh air.
EXPAND: I intend to expand my world of creativity. To learn new things about art. Painting. Collage. Art journaing. Expanding my love for interweaving images and text and the stories that they tell. Taking one photo everyday. Recording my life through art.
CONTINUE: I intend to continue being so very thankful for all the blessings in my life. To continue cultivating a spirit of gratitude and thanksgiving. To always be on the lookout for the little details that make life amazing and crazy and wonderful. To continue to say thanks out loud.
