A new year and a new decade has started so today’s post is going to be about my intentions for 2020, despite already being a week or so into the year. 

My intentions for this year centre not around giving things up or achieving certain goals, but on how I want to feel and what I want others to feel as a result of my actions. I’ve been asking this question a lot lately, be it when I teach a yoga class, choose what to eat for lunch or raise a concern. It changes everything.

In my early days of yoga teaching I stressed a lot on what exact words to say, and got flustered if I mixed up right and left. Focusing on how I want my students to feel means that it’s less of a grave error if I get my feet mixed up. Dealing with it by a swiftly correcting my mistake, and with humour means I’m helping my class feel relaxed and know that being less than perfect is totally ok. Likewise with my food choices, and when raising issues. How do I want to feel? After lunch, I want to feel energised and nourished. After raising an issue, I want to feel like I’ve empowered myself while still being respectful.b

So here are my intentions for 2020, I’d love to know yours and how you’re putting them into effect.

1. To feel strong

I originally said that my 2020 goal was to do a handstand but I want to accept that this may not happen, and that it’s ok if it doesn’t and that if it does then I don’t stop there! This year I want to feel super strong and handstand training might be one way of doing (I’m using Sarah White’s Inverted e-book in my self practice and love the handstand drills). I also want to try new workouts, progress my personal yoga practice and grow as a teacher too – all things that will leave me feeling physically and mentally stronger. I’m also planning on running the Dubai 10k for the third year running (unintentional pun) but I’m focusing on the feeling of running outdoors in my training runs rather than what my Nike running app shows.

2. To feel nourished

Last year saw my relationship with food really change. I went from working an office job where I sat down for 9+ hours a day, to doing teacher training in Bali and then working as a full time yoga teacher – I didn’t appreciate at first that practicing/teaching for 4+ hours a day might need a slightly different approach to nutrition… I haven’t totally let go of past fears around weight gain, but I’m now seeing food as fuel for doing what I love rather than something to restrict or label as “good”/”bad”. I try to pick my food choices around what will make me feel energised, nourished and able to teach back-to-back classes, rather than what has the fewest calories or what constitutes a “treat” for a dull day in the office. In 2020 I want to listen to my body more and really give it what it needs, and yes, if my body is asking for (vegan) dessert occasionally then I will honour that, too, although maybe not on evenings before a sunrise yoga class…

3. To feel inspired

I read 37 books in 2019, some for my bookclub and some from my own reading list, taking in a range of fiction, non-fiction, biographies, classics and best-sellers. I might have set my Goodreads goal to 52 for this year (as it was for last) but if I don’t hit that number it’s ok. I want to read books that inspire me, that teach me something and throw in a few that are just fun reads for good measure. As I spent a lot of time driving between yoga classes I’m also a huge fan of podcasts and I’m so excited for a new year of some of my favourites. The ones which almost make me look forward to tackling Dubai’s roads are currently: How To Fail by Elizabeth Day, Happy Place by Fearne Cotton and The Dream by Jane Marie (S1 tackles MLMs, and S2 “wellness”). 

4. To feel…more sparkly(?!)

A slightly frivolous one to end on but I spend SO much time in yoga gear and in a gym setting, that in 2020 I want a few more occasions where I can wear a dress, possibly heels and maybe red lipstick, too. Fashion and having fun with make-up used to be my ultimate escape and while I now feel less connected to these worlds, they are still a part of who I am. I haven’t shopped for new non-workout pieces for nearly two years now, but I’m pretty certain I still have a few dresses with the labels still on that deserve an outing in 2020, as well as a still unworn pair of Louboutins which are definitely a sunk cost at this point…

My other goals for the year:

–  Kon Mari all my possessions and end the year with less than I started with
–  spend less money than I did in 2020
–  donate each month to help sick and injured street cats in Dubai
–  do more yoga teacher trainings, workshops and different styles of classes with different teachers
–  spend more time with my friends, even if its just a weekly coffee catch-up
–  travel to one new country
–  get back into the habit of putting my phone on airplane mode an hour before bedtime

What intentions are you setting for yourself this year?