intentions

2018 New Year’s Resolutions | #AYearOfIntentionalLiving

Leave a Comment

I should start this by stating these are not my New Year’s Resolutions. Rather, they are my intentions for this year and for my life.  Resolutions just feel too restrictive and limiting which is why most people abandon their New Year’s Resolutions by the second week of February. 

For me, setting intentions is about living with more focus and purpose. My goal is not to accomplish my intentions by the end of the year but rather work towards living more intentionally from this day forward. My intentions may evolve over time but each one of these intentions has no expiry or finish date. 

So what are my 2018 intentions? 

1. Find balance as a mama, partner and creative. Balance is another one of those tricky terms. What is balance? Well for each one of us that is going to be different. For me it means ensuring that Neil and I have quality time together as a couple, that I have time carved out each week for me to work on writing, photos and projects that ignite my creative side and that while I am a mama that it isn’t the only thing that I am. Will there be equal time each week for all of these items? No, but that’s not my intent – rather it’s about finding a balance that respects each of these areas of my life. 

2. Make self-care a priority.  This looks like time for me to sit quietly and re-group, it also looks like a shower without a screaming baby or children popping their head in to ask for a snack. It looks like a trip to the chiropractor, acupuncturist or to do a float. It looks like moving my body or simply sitting still in meditation. There are so many ways to manifest self-care. What does self-care look like for you?

3. Shop with more intention.  Online shopping and the dollar area at Target are making it so easy to mindlessly shop for things. Anything that you can think of can be ordered and delivered in two days or even within an hour which is great when the stomach bug hits your house and all you need is more towels but it’s also a curse because we can mindlessly order anything. 

4. Create a home that is filled with love, laughter and creativity (without all the clutter). While our home is already filled with these things it is also filled with clutter and just so many things. So it’s time to create a space that is calming and inspirational and not a chaotic, cluttered mess. 

5. Listen More Than I Speak. I am very reactionary and feel emotions in a big way and voice them quickly and often sharply. As I focus on living this year with more intention the way I listen and speak is a huge part of this especially with children and my husband. 

6. Focus on being present.  Yes I am talking about stepping away from screens and spending more time connecting in the moment. Focusing on what is going on right now and giving less time and energy to anxieties, worries and mindless scrolling.

7. Acknowledge my feelings and emotions and take responsibility for them. We are responsible for how we feel, how we react and how we respond. 

8. Find the light in everyday. It’s so easy after a hard day to feel like everything has just gone to shit and forget about the little moments that brought a smile and light to the day. So I want to find the light in each day and focus on that and release the dark, frustrating moments. 

So now tell me – what are you intentions for 2018? 

Setting Intentions For The Day & Low Sugar Morning Challenge

Leave a Comment


Life has been hit with a state of chaos. The change of the seasons, new rhythms for the day and of course the weekly changes that come with a new baby. This month I am focusing on setting mindful and healthy intentions each and everyday to help calm the chaos. Setting small intentions each morning can translate into a calmer, more positive day.

This week instead of heading to the kitchen and opening the fridge and cupboards 10x trying to figure out what I’ll have for breakfast and end up gulping two mugs of coffee and eating the crusts of my kids toast I am making my life easier and starting my day with a Splendid Spoon smoothie.

For the next five days I will be enjoying a Splendid Spoon smoothie that I can easily grab from the fridge and sip without having to do any of the work. Instead of chaos I am being intentional with my choice to have a breakfast that is low in sugar, filled with fiber and rich in protein and healthy fats. 

What do I hope to get out of this challenge?

  • Steadier Blood Sugar Levels. Have you ever been around me when my blood sugar plummets? You have a cranky mama on your hands. 
  • More Energy! Being a mama to two small children and a baby is exhausting (especially when the baby doesn’t want to sleep) so I can use all the energy these days. 
  • A More Intentional Day. Did you know just by starting your day off with positive intentions you are setting the stage for your entire day. So positive, intentional morning means that you are more likely to make healthy, positive decisions throughout your day. 

If you’d like to join me in 5 Low Sugar Mornings leave me a comment below! I’d love to hear about your experience and why you want to challenge yourself! 

You can follow my entire journey over on my Insta-Stories and I’ll be sharing my full challenge experience on the blog next week. 

Save $20 off your first Splendid Spoon Plan. 

This post contains affiliate links. Purchases you make through these links will help fund the work I do here on Running With Tongs at no extra cost to you. Thank you sincerely for your constant support