An Intention and Then What? and Update

by Judith Ashley

First published in October 2010, I still think the message is important. Read on to see my update. For visual interest I've added this interesting picture.

An Intention and Then What?

My Intention is to post once a week. If you look back at my last post, you'll see I'm within that time frame, however I started blogging on Thursday, then went to Monday, and then to Tuesday. Last week it was Thursday or Friday and today it is Wednesday.

Why is it so hard to follow through?
Why are things 'spaced' off? or forgotten?

If I had the answer I'd let you know, I'd write articles, I'd give speeches, I'd definitely share!

What I do know is that when we beat on ourselves when we slip up, when we don't meet our expectations, we only hurt ourselves and we only increase the probability that we'll mess up again. And more than likely sooner because Anxiety is not a friend of follow-through.

Life is about experiencing, growing, living, changing.
Life is about joy, happiness, grace, and gratitude.

If you are like me, you have problems being perfect. You may know on some level you are perfect just the way you are, but ...

Welcome to Life, Welcome to the Journey. Remember to enjoy the process, be kind to yourself. If you are, you're more likely to easily and effortlessly follow through on those Intentions.

Update: If, in the last 4+ years I'd learned "The Answer" to following through and never spacing off, etc. I think my bank account would be fuller. I would have shared through articles, speeches and blogging. The answer would be showing up in my books. As it is, what I have found is the following:

1. If I over-commit, I'm more likely to mess up in some way.

2. If I don't get the rest/sleep my body really needs (which is way more than we can operate from), I also don't do as well.

3. Forgiving myself, acknowledging I'm human reduces stress and anxiety and provides me with a stronger foundation to meet my own expectations.

4. Analyzing those expectations: Where do they come from? Are they helpful? What would happen if I dropped them?

I'll be back next Monday with a fresh new post on my time with my friend and my cousin. In the mean time, if you've something to share about staying on task or staying the course and what to do when you don't, please share. I may not respond right away, but I will!

Judith Ashley is the author of The Sacred Womens' Circle series, romantic fiction that honors spiritual practices that nourish the soul and celebrates the journey from relationship to romance.

Learn more at her website and her Windtree Press author page.