Showing up in 2024

Setting intentions for shadows and light

I took a walk early on January 1st and got to see the first light of 2024 coming up behind the Colorado Mountains where I grew up. Each blade of the crystallized yellow grasses were lit up by the early morning light, which moments before had been hidden in the shadows. It was stunning.

I’ve been reflecting on how I want to show up in this upcoming year and where I want to shine my light—with more intention towards what I most care about. There are so many things that really matter to me which are lost in the hustle of day-to-day life. I tried a couple of different 2024 goal setting reflection worksheets but the “find one word to encompass your year” felt at odds with all the different roles I hold (parent, artist, partner, daughter etc.), and all the different pieces of my life I care about (my work, my health, my connections to others in my local community, climate change, allyship, etc.)… all of which all require such different intentions to guide them.

I also found that these worksheets move so quickly into what I need to DO, bypassing the important first step of how I want to FEEL.

I want to feel lit up and energized. I want to feel slow and thoughtful. I want to feel detail-oriented and on top of the hard stuff. I want to feel lost in the dreaminess of possibility. I want to feel awake and alert to the pains of humanity. I want to feel centered and focused on those I care for in my immediate sphere. I want to feel deeply connected to others and deliberate in finding time alone.

I spent the last couple of weeks tweaking and perfecting a worksheet that’s helping me to feel more focused and grounded going into this new year.

I want to offer this worksheet to you as a gift, in case you too could use some guided structure.

Here’s to 2024 with all its cobalt blue/grey shadows of the past, and all its glimmering light of possibility,

Jen

P.s. I loved this “Prayer for the new year” by my dear friend Courtney Martin