Recently, I started setting monthly intentions. It’s been a great way to stay on track with larger goals I have and to try out mini-challenges. What’s a mini-challenge? It’s something I incorporate into my lifestyle for 30 days to see if it’s worth adding to my daily routine. They say it takes around 30 days to make a habit stick, so this feels like the right time frame for me to try out something new.
June is also when I re-evaluate my goals for the year. I know that July is the halfway point, but by the beginning of July, I’ll be in full on summer mode. I’ll want to get the most out of the warm weather and spend every waking moment outdoors, (one can dream, right?!) so I want to renew my focus now when I’m not distracted by beach trips and BBQs. (Not that these are bad distractions!)
Below is a list of my intentions for the month of June. This includes my ‘monthly mini-challenge’, a wonderful and productive habit I learned about from Ali Maffucci of Inspiralized. (She also happens to have a blog full of healthy recipes that are a cinch to make.)
1. Get more sleep.
Now that I’m working 14 hour days, 6 days a week on a very demanding TV series, my biggest priority is sleep. I know that if I don’t get at least 7 hours per night, it’s a domino effect the next day. I wake up feeling cranky, sluggish and have trouble concentrating. When I’m on set, I need to be on top of my game, so getting enough sleep is crucial.
2. Focus on My Side Hustle Whenever I Have Downtime.
I don’t have much time off right now, but when I do, I’m focusing on my blog. This is one of the hardest intentions to keep because the weather is finally nice and there are so many temptations! From outdoor concerts and bike rides to BBQs and festivals, it is very hard to say no to all of the invitations my husband and I receive. But I know that I need to keep my head down and do the work if I want to see my blog grow into a successful business. (There will be more on this soon in another post!)
3. Enjoy my backyard.
This is a simple one but for a while, it wasn’t a priority for me. The rest of our house is a bit of a mess right now because we are getting ready to do a renovation in the fall, but our garden is an oasis. We moved into the house in the wintertime and didn’t realize we inherited four beautiful rose bushes until spring came around. These beauties flower all summer long, and looking at them makes me happy. Now with a crazy schedule on my hands, I have more gratitude for the quiet moments when I get to sit in my garden, and yes, literally stare at and smell the roses. Since I won’t be traveling that much this summer due to my crazy job, I plan to spend a lot of time soaking up the sunshine in my own backyard.
4. Meditate for 10 minutes, every day.
I have meditated on and off for a long time. But while the practice is not new for me, I have a hard time with consistency. After reading 10% Happier by Dan Harris, I’ve decided to give this another go. So for this entire month, I’m going to sit for 10 minutes every day. In case you haven’t guessed, this is my monthly mini-challenge! Let me know if you want to join me. And if meditation is new for you, there’s a great app called Headspace with hundreds of guided meditations to choose from, and Dan Harris also offers a meditation app. If you’ve never done it before, guided meditation is an easy way to start a meditation practice.
5. Be kinder and more loving to myself.
I am sure I’m not alone here. Often, we are our own worst critics. I don’t even want to share some of the thoughts in my head because they are so embarrassing. I sometimes catch myself mid-rant, and think, would I ever talk to a friend this way? Of course not, so why do I think it’s ok to bully myself? Changing this habit is much easier said than done, and this will likely take many months – if not longer- to achieve. But it’s important that the voice in my head is a supportive one because right now this taskmaster is not doing me any favors! I also think my daily meditation practice could help with this intention. I’ll give you an update in a month!
So there you have it – my monthly intentions for June. Notice that I didn’t put too many here. I don’t want to overload myself with too many things to focus on, because then the odds are I won’t succeed at or accomplish any of these monthly intentions.
What about you? Do you set monthly intentions or goals? If so, I’d love to hear more about what’s on your list. If you’re interested in learning more about tips to help you prioritize your goals, check out this post. And if you want to join me for my monthly mini-challenge, please leave a comment below. And as always, thanks for reading!
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