Practice Setting Intentions

Hiya Friends,

Here we sit on the precipice of yet another New Year. A liminal space. A threshold. Or maybe it's just another day to you.

I am sitting with quite a bit as I approach this new year. My mother passed away January 7, 2024. Not quite a year ago. This has been a year of "firsts". The first of all the holidays without her. The first birthday of hers without her in her physical form. This was the first Christmas without her. I also lost 2 cats and a Friend in 2023 & 2024. I saw a few friends through some major health journeys and life changes. I moved a couple of times, gave up my business (for the most part), starting a "new" life in Red Wing, MN and then again back in Walla Walla, WA. I got to be present to a newborn and see him every day for 6 months of his life and then feel the pain of departure as I moved away from him. I also got the joy of spending Christmas with him when I flew back.

So how do I sit with all of this and allow it the space it needs without getting hijacked by the different situations and emotions..... I have daily routines and rituals. I know I probably say it a lot, but I think it bares worth repeating... I no longer get hijacked by big feelings and emotions because I practice yoga asana, meditation, finding beauty, self-compassion, self-forgiveness, gratitude and so on. Yes - these are all practices!!!! And there are so many more.

How you show up is how you practice. How you practice is what you become. So you can sit around and practice negativity or allowing yourself to get hijacked which allows the "limbic controller" to take over in your mind, or you can start practicing things that help you find the "positive" things as well as to build a safe container so you can hold the "negative" things without allowing them to take over.

As I approach any new year... I do not set goals. I do not set resolutions. A goal is an idea of the future or desired result that a person or a group of people envision, plan, and commit to achieve. I find them harsh and hard to commit to. If I fail (which was often the case when I used to set them) I feel miserable and beat myself up. Add to that that it’s highly unlikely that they’ll be achieved by ANYONE. According to the University of Scranton, 92 percent of people who set New Year's goals never actually achieve them. 

About 16 years ago, Yoga introduced me to the idea of setting intentions. An intention is a guiding principle for who you want to be and how you want to act, live, and show up in this world. An intention, or Sankalpa, is a solemn vow and commitment we make with ourselves to support our highest truth. I find them kinder and gentler. If I slip and make a mistake, I can still find compassion and bring myself back around to it or set another that I now know is more aligned with how I want to show up in this world.

I have two intentions I keep coming back to these past few days when I sit in stillness. The first intention I am setting is to show up to RECEIVING more. Not the simple accepting of, "I made you some food." or "Here is a a little something I got you because it made me think of you." kind of thing. I mean like actually looking someone in the eye when they give me a compliment and not deflecting it or rambling on so as to avoid taking it in completely. I mean saying yes to a friend who wants to give me some free food and showing up to the soul work of NOT allowing it to make me feel like a mooch or like I'm less than. Not needing to get someone else something material because they got me something and trusting them and the Universe when they tell me I help them find peace or inspire them to be more compassionate. Letting those things be enough. Knowing I am enough.

The second intention I will be setting it to SOFTEN. This one has been an intention of mine for quite some time now it's true. Each year I do soften, but I can still soften more. Mainly I want to soften with myself. I am a Recovering Perfectionist. This means that for the majority of my life I have not thought I am enough and I have beat myself up for any mistakes. My fellow Perfectionist know that when you have incredibly high standards - you make a ton of mistakes, so basically I was beating myself up all the time.

Brene Brown (shame researcher) introduced me to the research that shows how shame is the birthplace of perfectionism. That blew my mind and I have spent probably 7-10 year unfolding my shame (I can't remember exactly when I first read "The Gifts Of Imperfection" - which I HIGHLY recommend). Every time my perfectionism rears it's ugly head, I try to pause or at least come back to it later and sit with what I was ashamed about. In the beginning I had times where I couldn't see the shame (or was straight up in denial), but with time, I can see it almost every time. I have had SO.MUCH.SHAME my whole life. I don't want to carry that around anymore. I want to soften. I want to trust that I am enough just as I am. That whatever I put out into the world is perfectly imperfect and ME. So yeah, I will probably have the intention of softening for the rest of my life.

Are there any intentions y'all wanna set? Not sure. Are you able to take some time today without external distractions (screens, music, people) and take a walk in nature or sit with a journal or meditate or what ever will help you "turn inward". You might simply ask yourself: How do I want to be, to act, to live, and to show up in this world?

Feel free to keep to yourself or share in the comments below.

May you find the time to listen to your soul as you transition for this year into the next.
May you be kind to what you hear.
May you accept exactly where you are.

Love you LoveBugs!
SweetPea Johnson

We had so much fun the first time that Marika E, Kaleidoscope Studios, & I are at it again. Grab your spot sooner rather than later. We sold out last time. Plus, if you purchase now - you get an early bird discount!

Join Christel Joy Johnson and Marika Esarey for this gentle, inward exploration of restorative yoga postures and subtle energy. CJ will lead us through a Restorative Yoga practice. Marika will create sacred space by sending distance Reiki to the container as well as hands-on Reiki to each student. These unique healing arts blend together effortlessly, allowing long-held emotions to release gently and safely, creating more ease and peace in our physical and energetic bodies.

Gentle reminder that we are off this week so I can have a 6 day silent meditation retreat. Classes start back up next Tuesday, January 7, 2025. These classes are available in-person and over Zoom.

Also note the new Gentle Yoga Class time. We will move 30 minutes earlier from 9:30am-10:30am Pacific. It’s still on Wednesdays and Fridays, I just had to move it earlier as I will be teaching at Whitman College again and that class starts at 11am. Thank you for your understanding Friends.

Just show up at the studio with cash or check (made out to Christel Joy Johnson) and pay at the location. There is no where to purchase these classes online.