#MAYGOALS.

A new month begins.

I think it's important to start the month off by setting intentions.  Some of the goals for this month will be a continuation of what worked well in April.  Other intentions are there to bring something new into my current experience.  But most of all, this practice for setting monthly intentions is so we can become an active creator of the month ahead instead of being passive participants.

So let's get started shall we?

One area that I've been focusing lately has been my fitness journey. At one point last month, my weight crept up to 136 lbs which is my highest ever.  Even though I wear the extra weight well, I'm still technically overweight for my height.  This morning I weighed in at 133.1 pounds.  I've been testing a new strategy that's working out really well for me.  I'm not dieting, I'm eating my normal diet in a different way.  In fact, this week I ate blondies, fried foods, burgers, french fries, and still lost weight!  So in  May, I'll continue to implement this new method until my weight goes back down into the one-twenties territory (which I haven't been in a long time).  Once I've mastered this technique, and can confirm that it works, I'll share the exact details.  My fitness goals for May are to burn an additional 5 or more pounds of body fat and to purchase new workout attire.  I typically work out in frumpy lounge wear. Although, it's pretty comfy, I notice that I'm much more motivated to workout when I have on real exercise clothes that actually look decent.

The last couple of weeks of April were awesome!  Those were the most productive that I've experienced in a long time.  One thing I can attribute to that experience was deciding, on Monday morning, to start my day with a "Learning Walk."  Basically, a Learning Walk is when you listen to something educational or inspiring while on an outdoor walk.  That one act at the start of the week had such a domino effect on everything else.  In May, I would like to incorporate a Learning Walks at least 3X a week.  While on these walks I'll alternate between watching key note speeches and listening to audio books.  One book I'm revisiting is Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz.  This is a personal development classic that talks about the power of the mind and how to utilize visualization techniques to create.  Visualization is one of those things I should be doing, but I'm not really that good at it.

But, there was a time when I practiced visualization twice a day and, like any skill, I eventualy became better at it.  This month, I'll begin this habit again while combining it with manifestation journaling.  Basically, by pairing the two, I'll be putting more energy into the outcomes. Writing it down is one thing. But clearly picturing it in my mind & putting my intentions on paper is being hyper-focused.  I suspect this will have a tremendous impact on how quickly things manifest going forward.

I also need to include personal care into my intentions for the month because, if I don't do so, that aspect of my life is neglected.  One of the actions I've taken is to reinstitute regular massages into my routine.  I'm hoping to enjoy one every two weeks to reap the health benefits vs just going every once in a while for relaxation.  

Another experience I'd like to incorporate from now on is the "Random Escape."  This is where I go on a mini adventure one day in the week.  I left corporate America because I wanted every day to be like a Saturday.  Meaning, I would have the freedom to go to the beach on a Wednesday morning if I so pleased. Or maybe start a Monday morning several cities away in a completely new environment.  I have two random escapes planned for May.  If all goes well, this will be a part of my normal experience from now on.

If you haven't planned your intentions for May yet, today is the perfect day to do it.