Setting Intentions

By Steph Barron Hall, Nine Types Co.
@ninetypesco

This week - the one between Christmas and New Year’s Day - always feels a bit strange. Today I'm feeling half "holiday blues" and half hopeful for what’s to come.

For most of us, January is about newness. We often feel compelled to get "back on track" after the holiday busyness, or we find ourselves inspired to be a different version of ourselves. As an Enneagram Three, I'm always looking for new ways to improve myself and my life, so I love to set intentions for the New Year.

I keep a spreadsheet of my goals (I know, I know... it's so "3"), and I add to them year after year. It's been interesting to see how my perspective on self-work has changed since I began learning about the Enneagram several years ago. Goals like "take the GRE" have been replaced with intentions like "be more present." Rather than setting SMART goals for each resolution, I find myself leaning into language around being intentional or soulful. It's less "bottom-line" and more whole-hearted living, and I've found this approach to be more supportive for my well-being.

This morning, as I sat down to reflect on my 2019 goals, I laughed, cringed, and sighed. A year ago, some of my goals were too small, some were too grandiose, and some were just right.

Here's what I aimed for:

1 Practice yoga every day

2 Put your phone down

3 Be kind to yourself

4 Teach Canon off-leash recall

5 If you don't like it, make a change

6 Find a job you care about

7 Get to 5k followers on Nine Types

8 Plan 5 posts per week for Nine Types

Here's how I did:

1 I did a lot of yoga! But not every day. I have gotten significantly stronger, though, and that's what matters to me.

2 Oof, this is the worst one. There were times when I took time off this year, however, transitioning into work that uses my phone as a primary tool has not been helpful for this goal.

3 Ah yes. Kindness, especially self-kindness, is crucial. I have learned to give myself permission to feel and space to process without self-condemnation. These are momentous points of growth for me!

4 He walks off-leash like a good boy & comes when called! I'm so proud.

5 This has been a year of change for me, and it's been really challenging, and I'm grateful. Read more.

6 HEY! You're lookin' at it 😉

7 Definitely beat 5k! Look at us go 😊 thanks for being along for the ride!

8 I haven't posted 5 posts per week mostly because I've started doing all nine types in each post. I like posting this way (and I think you like it too), but it essentially means I've written half a book for each post. It feels better to post 2-3 posts per week 🙃😆

So what’s next?

As I sit down to begin thinking about my 2020 goals, I want to be mindful of the ways I’ve already grown. As a Three, I often disregard past accomplishment or growth without celebration: instead, I charge forward without considering how it might feel to experience the joy of growth or the sorrow of disappointment. Rather than expecting earth-shattering changes, I think it’s helpful to think of life in terms of slow, deliberate growth - something that doesn’t happen between December 31st and January 1st. I’m not backing away from the New Year’s Resolution entirely, I’m simply rethinking how I will approach it in my life. As I have grown in the Enneagram, I’ve found that I care more about mental, emotional, and spiritual transformation than I do about the material changes I used to aim for. This year, I’ll likely set some SMART goals for my business, but my personal goals will be simple, supportive habits built over time (like using the Headspace app for 5 minutes a day).

What about you? 

What are you looking forward to in the next year? What small transformations will you make as you continue on your Enneagram journey?

I’ve created a tool for you to set intentions for 2020. As you do so, make time for gratitude and celebrate the growth you’ve already experienced, think of small habits to support the transformation you’d like to see, and hold yourself accountable by telling a friend, setting a reminder, or inviting a coach along your path. If you need help, schedule a coaching session! We can set your intentions for the next year together ✨

If you’re an Enneagram coach looking to scale your business in 2020, shoot me an email (hello@ninetypes.co)! I have an exciting offer just for you 😉