Being intentional

During the first few days of the year, I saw posts on social media of people picking a word to represent their 2023. Being a word person, I like that idea, so I picked a word. The word I picked for 2023 is “intentional.”

I am the kind of person that has all kinds of good ideas, but many times I forget or just simply fail to get around to doing it. I’ll point out a good attribute of one of my daughter’s team mates to my daughter, but never get around to telling her teammate. I’ll think of an older person in my life that I should visit, but I get busy and don’t. I’ll think of some nice things to do for my husband, but I put them off.

This also involves simple things like thinking about how nice it would be to ask a friend out to lunch, but I just get lazy and don’t do it, and before I know it, six months have passed since I’ve had a decent conversation with my friend.

Years later I may still have regrets for never having done these things, especially if someone I wanted to do something nice for passes away or moves away. There was once an older man from my church who wanted me to help him investigate something he owned and determine whether it was worth something or not. He wanted me to write something about it. I really didn’t have a clue, and I was so busy with young kids and work at the time that I didn’t get around to it before he passed away. I regret that.

This can also apply to setting better habits. I may want to read a chapter of a classic novel every night but end up watching TV and then falling asleep, or perhaps I plan to have some quiet time with God and in scripture in the mornings, but instead start scrolling Facebook and run out of time before I have to leave for work. I want to eat healthy, but then I don’t make a meal plan or buy the appropriate groceries and end up eating the junk I have.

Sure, those intentions are good, but if I never get around to doing those things, what good are those intentions really?

So, I am going to be more intentional about things. I’m going to take action on my ideas.

One of the simplest things that I have found helpful is a to-do list. I use the Reminder app on my iPhone. I have some reminders that have been there for months or even over a year and keep going off. I don’t want to forget that I intend to do those things, so when the reminder alerts me, I pick a new date and reset it, and I allow it to keep going off until I do that thing. It makes me so happy when I’m able to check those things off.

Having a to-do-list forces me to “write” it down and make a plan because I have to set a date for the reminder.

It also helps to ask people to make me accountable. My family and some of my co-workers are happy to remind me if I ask them. I’ll eventually get annoyed enough that I finally do it.

Of course, it wouldn’t hurt to simply practice more good-old-fashioned discipline. Don’t turn on the TV at night, and pick up my book instead.

Don’t scroll Facebook in the morning, and open my Bible app instead. Nike had the right idea. Don’t get distracted with the wrong things, and quit putting things off and just do it.

Kimberly Jones is a Nolan County native, former news reporter, writer, wife, mother, and lover of small-town life. If you have an idea you would like to share with her, email her at kimberlyjgray74@gmail.com.