"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately." Henry David Thoreau, Walden
Every year, in one way or another I have some sort of motto, something to live by and something to focus on through the year. Some years it is a mantra, usually over complicated but it starts out as something to focus on, sometimes it works for a time, sometimes not, but it is at least a good thought to start with.
So what does 2019 look like, what is my focus this time around?
Back in June, I was going camping and made a label for my camp cup that said "Live Deliberately". It was a play on Thoreau's "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately" since I was taking it camping.
As I came into this year however I gave it some close thought. What does it mean to me?
Living deliberately means living with intention. It is about right action, and doing things on purpose. Right eating, right sleeping, right speech, right actions, it is about doing things on purpose. Intermittent fasting is like that for me, it is not mindless eating to fill time, or do something while I am driving, it is making the choice to eat, or not, but being conscious about it. Living deliberately for me is about living my intention, living in choice, millions upon millions of choices, actions on actions, all made consciously.
In the last 2 days since deciding that this was where I was going, I have written more, taken more deep breaths and generally gotten more done because I am paying attention. I am making notes to myself while I work so when I get home I know what I want to get accomplished. I changed my alarm tone from an annoying one to a bell, which reminds me to take a deep breath and be present. Sure, it is some dumb notification from some company trying to sell me something, but I am using it as a random reminder to be present, take a deep breath and be grateful I am alive.
Living deliberately is about choice and so I am going into 2019 in choice, consciously choosing where my focus is, and knowing that I get to make up the meaning of things along the way. I do not have to go to the woods to live deliberately, my life is here, and if I have to go somewhere, or do something special to get that, there is a good chance I am not bringing it home with me. Now is the only time we have, here is the only place to be. I have many things I wish to accomplish in 2019, but the only place to start them is here and now, and the only way is with intention.
