Motivation logo

20 Intentions for My 20th Year

Because It's Important to Fall in Love with the Process of Growing

By Maia AnnalisaPublished 5 years ago 4 min read
Like

  1. Thank yourself for your strength. Instead of wallowing in your moments of weakness, thank yourself for your moments of strength and courage.
  2. Acknowledge your little successes every day. Even if all you managed to do was get yourself out of bed, it's still an accomplishment to celebrate. Simply put, life is hard.
  3. Quit setting your expectations for yourself so high. Like I said in #2, life is hard. Even if you do somehow manage to do it all, you won't be able to without losing your sanity.
  4. Engage in more positive self-talk. Moments where you look into the mirror and tell yourself, "I am so proud of you," and "You did so great today," are some of the most influential to the mind and soul. Be kinder to yourself. Go easier on yourself. You are deserving of your own love.
  5. Quit comparing yourself to others and begin comparing yourself to YOU. Nothing good comes from comparing your happiness or success to the ones of those around you. However, comparing yourself to the old you will help you to recognize progress. You are incessantly evolving.
  6. Breathe. This may seem like a no brainer, but in all seriousness, learn to slow down in the midst of the chaos and focus on the rising and falling of your chest. Appreciate the ability to inhale and exhale freely.
  7. Let go. Some will try and destroy you out of their own anger. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, and feel sorry for them instead. You may have been hurt, but you are deserving of peace.
  8. Forgive yourself. There's no use holding onto your pent up frustrations. You're going to make decisions you wish you hadn't and you're going to miss out on opportunities. Some things are inevitable, so forgive yourself for what you cannot control.
  9. Accept your timeline. Every human being's timeline in life is different. Quit thinking in the mindset that you're "early" or "late". You are neither because every moment in your life happens on your time. You will achieve your goals when your time is right. You will be successful when your time is right.
  10. Have enough dignity to be vocal when it matters most. Instead of allowing others to disrespect and degrade you, have the dignity to say in confidence, "You cannot speak to me that way."
  11. Listen to the needs of your heart, mind, and soul. They are constantly in communication with you. If they are asking you for rest, give yourself rest. If they are asking you for solitude to recharge, give yourself alone time. Don't push yourself too far.
  12. Give yourself permission... To push someone toxic away, to spend the day in solitude, to take a mental health day, to do what you need to do. It all begins with you.
  13. Worship your body. What you have and what you are is nothing less than beautiful. Whether you are changing into new clothes or soaking in the bathtub, appreciate every curve, every scar, every mole, every birthmark. This is you.
  14. Pray. When you need help, when you need strength, when you or a loved one needs healing, when you need to know someone else will be okay, pray.
  15. Remain self-aware. Self-awareness encourages growth. Recognize your emotions and behaviors. Focus on how you normally respond to situations versus how you would like to respond. Work on processing your emotions in a healthy way before reacting. Like #11, listen to what your body needs in those moments of high-stress.
  16. Give. Whether tangible or intangible, do what you do best. Give.
  17. No more apologizing. Do not apologize for the factors that are out of your control. Do not apologize because someone does not acknowledge your worth. Do not apologize to the people who do not deserve you. Instead, apologize for their inability to appreciate something good when they have it.
  18. Go. Don't give yourself anymore excuses to hold yourself back out of fear. The best moments in life happen outside of your comfort zone. Go after what you want. Go after opportunity when you see it. Go after that dream. Go after that job. Become a go-getter.
  19. Persevere. No matter how many times you get knocked back down, stand back up. Come back even stronger. Move those mountains. You've been doing it your whole life, don't give up now.
  20. Believe. Believe in yourself. Believe that you can do it. Believe that you can get yourself to where you want and need to be. Believe in your end goal. Believe in your dreams. You will get there, but it won't be easy if you don't believe you can.

Note to reader: Consider setting intentions for yourself. Write them down on sticky notes or in a journal. Read them. Then read them again. Study your words and practice these intentions you've made for yourself. These are your personal goals, the ways in which you'd like to see personal growth and progress. It may be a strenuous journey but the challenge is what matters at the end of the day. Challenge yourself every single day to get there, and one day when you least expect it, you'll finally be where you've always wanted to be. Just believe in yourself. You can do this.

goals
Like

About the Creator

Maia Annalisa

I am a psychology student with a passion for writing and photography. Aside from being a proud self-love enthusiast, I am a mental health advocate, growth seeker, adrenalin chaser and professional daydreamer. Find me near the water.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.