As we are wrapping up the year, I started reflecting on the things I did or didn’t do this year. I went back to the goals I set for myself at the beginning of the year, and to my surprise, they are reflected in the things I did during the year, and I accomplished most of the goals!

I noticed how my intentions led me to actions to help me reach my goals. As I kept reflecting on how I make things happen, I realized how my conscious intentions are crucial to moving forward to what I want to do or accomplish. For instance, one of my goals was to be more present and calm. With that in mind, every day, I intentionally set up my alarm 15 minutes earlier than I need to be up, so I could have some quiet time to start my day mindfully, with gratitude, with positive thinking, and to enjoy my morning coffee calmly.

I have been working from home for over six years now. So when covid hit, I already had some practices that have helped me to keep my sanity of working solo and from home. I shared them with my family and some friends. But as time pass by, and the new norm of many has switched to working from home most of the time, I see how vital intentions and consistency are needed to keep us sane and productive. Some of my intentional practices are:

  • The intention of being ready for work on time consistently. I mean, really ready by taking a shower and wearing working clothes – I even wear perfume most days 🙂
  • The intention of not looking or doing house-related tasks during working hours.
  • The intention on taking breaks and go for a quick walk around the neighborhood during the day. I don’t do it every day, but I try.
  • The intention on taking time to eat and not work at the same time, even if it is 15 minutes for lunch.
  •  Intentionally connect with friends and colleagues just to check in from time to time.
  • The intention of not working during the weekends or at night and reminding myself that it is okay; nothing is that urgent, really – unless you are in healthcare, fire, or police department.

I was discussing these reflections with a close friend, and I realized that intentions are really the key to growing, improving, and developing, and they take us where we want to be or do. As a mother of two and with work and family commitments, life gets very busy. Intentionally, I set time for yoga, meditation, and therapy. It would be easy to say, not today, I am busy. But I try my best to keep these times for those activities because I know that at the long run, it helps me be more productive and happier.  I reflect on the time I have intentionally invested in certain groups. In particular, Lean in Latinas of San Mateo County and Women in Silicon Valley. I started these groups back in 2018! And maybe without being fully conscious, I created them to build community. You see, I have worked solo since 2016, and not having colleagues around to have quick chats, coffees, or working lunch, made me feel lonely. Yes, I have my family and friends, but I missed those relationships that you have when you work in a team. So I created my community, and many women have joined. We share successes, struggles, and best practices, just as people do in a healthy work environment. We celebrate each other’s accomplishments. Many are like me, with no working teammates, while others work in organizations (virtual or in person). Regardless, we all enjoy having this community that enables us to share and grow together. Intentionally, we are having our holiday party this year- for some, this will be their only professional holiday party, either because their work team is only virtual or because we are their team. I really love what we have created, and I realized that it is not for free. We set intentions, commit time and effort, and then we see results – most of the time, the results are those we dream of!

What are you doing intentionally that is helping you to reach your goals and live as you want? We still have a few weeks to close this year, and we can intentionally finish this year the best we can and start 2023 strong, energized, and with clear intentions to reach our goals.