Setting New Year's Intentions

Welcome to the first edition of the Authentic Parenting Blog Carnival, hosted by Authentic Parenting and Mudpiemama!

In the month of January, we start afresh, a new year, new ideas. Hence, our participants have looked into the topic of “Birth and New Beginnings”. Take a look at the end of this post to find a list of links to the entries of the other participants.

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Rhythm.

I can’t dance. I can’t play an instrument.

But I can live. And in each day, each week, each season, and each year, there is rhythm, and I embrace it.

I love the rhythms of each day: the pulling back of curtains welcome the morning sun, the late-afternoon buzz of neighbors returning home from work, and those still, warm moments holding Anabella as she falls asleep. These moments are givens; they’re static, grounding.

But other moments are acute, fresh, changing. For many, a new year brings new hope from self-made promises to public declarations. Some very motivated and disciplined people achieve their goals. The rest of us live with that nagging sense of failure, which can overshadow those precious little rhythms in the rest of our lives.

So, instead of making my mind up to stop eating so much chocolate before bed, or only check Facebook 5 times a day instead of 10, I jumped off the resolution bandwagon a few years ago.

January 1^st is now a day of reflection, rather than resolution. I write several pages in my journal about how the past year has gone, and then, I bask in some stillness (with a cup of tea, of course). I spend time thinking and praying about setting an intention for the upcoming year. The intention is more a frame to my moments, rather than a goal or an item to check off. When I’m feeling overwhelmed in the coming months, I revisit that page dated 1.1 and it refocuses me.

If I’m torn between taking on a new project, or hobby, or time-consuming-but-delicious-looking recipe, it’s freeing to be able to ask, “Is this in line with my intention for the year?” If not, I ditch.

And smile.

Want to join other curious and informed mamas? Head over to The Other Baby Book’s Facebook page and catch up on our conversations, read some links, or ask a question!

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Visit Authentic Parenting and MudpieMama to find out how you can participate in the next Authentic Parenting Blog Carnival!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:
(This list will be live and updated by afternoon January 27 with all the carnival links.)

• Becoming Intentional with My Time Valerie at Momma in Progress shares the beginning of her year-long journey toward more intentional living.
• Alirik’s Birth Story: Sweet Surprise Lauren at Hobo Mama tells the sweet surprise unassisted home water birth story of her second child.
• My Rebirth: An Honest Look Darcel at The Mahogany Way talks a little about some of the fear and insecurity she’s felt over the years since starting her parenting journey and her blog.
• Trusting My Body: Ailia’s Birth Story After a very challenging birth with her son, Dionna at Code Name: Mama was nervous about having another natural birth. But practicing relaxation techniques and birth affirmations proved to be just what she needed to have her perfect, peaceful, unassisted homebirth.
• My Homeschool Philosophy Paige a Bay Dust Diaries shares her new year’s resulution about homeschooling.
• Yet Another Resolutions Post... Zen mummy‘s resolutions for a better 2012
• Renewing Green Passions in the New Year Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction talks about renewing a passion for green living in the new year
• Birthing and New Beginnings… And Better Mothering Sheila at A Living Family shares her first ever New Year’s resolutions to be a more mindful, compassionate and respectful mother to her two-year old daughter after the recent birth of her son.
• An Open Letter to MTV Regarding 16 and Pregnant Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama delivers a pointed message to MTV about how they misrepresent birth and parenthood on 16 and Pregnant.
• Setting Intentions Megan at The Other Baby Blog shares another way to ring in the New Year.
• Spencer’s Birth Story Momma Jorje shares her family’s story of birthing her son with Down syndrome.
• Looking Forward, Looking Back Erica @ ChildOrganics shares how she is able to look back at the loss of their daughter and yet move forward with her family at the same time.
• Unique unto Itself. Melissa of Vibrant Wanderings has chosen a word for her second child’s birth: awareness.
• The Unassisted Birth of The LIttle Buddha. Laura at Authentic Parenting shares the birth story of her new baby
• Birthing and Resolutions: Keeping Good Things in Motion. MudpieMama shares her VBAC story and why she skipped making resolutions in the traditional way.

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