We were surprised this past week to hear the familiar chirping of a Titmouse on the patio. After all, it has been very wintery with blustery rains and bitterly cold temperatures. Could this be one of a pair that has inhabited the same birdhouse in CiCi’s Garden for the past five years?
Seemingly so, for it began popping in and out of its little “cabin” doing some housecleaning in anticipation of next spring. Its intentions were clear and being acted upon: sometime in March eggs will be laid to hatch another batch of baby birds.
It got me to thinking. With the familiar buzz about New Year’s Resolutions, notoriously broken after only a few days, it would serve me better to set one specific intention rather than a resolution –then act on it immediately in order to clinch my commitment to myself that I will follow through. Amazing things can happen when I do this!
About this time last year I set an intention that I would begin a blog for women –making a safe place for them to explore how to work through the residual effects women often experience as a result of being a survivor of child abuse or neglect, domestic violence, or any other trauma or loss, even years after her life has become “normal”.
Not knowing anything about how to start a blog, once I was clear about my intention I immediately went onto the internet and began to research the process. Within a few days I found a host, signed up and began designing my new website. Then I called a dear friend who had just begun a blog himself, and made a date to have coffee together to pick his brain. A month later I posted my first blog!
Next I created business cards that I could hand out to let people know about my blog, which I called CiCi’s Garden, a safe place for women. Featuring my kitty’s sweet face, I jokingly tell everyone she’s the only cat I know with a business card!
Tonight I will celebrate the arrival of the New Year at home with my husband. Then, with my heart filled with gratitude for all the blessings of the past twelve months, I will embrace the freshness and promise midnight portends.
Tomorrow, the first day of 2011, I will set one clear intention and quickly take the first steps to follow through to bring it to reality. Won’t you join me?
