2017 – Core Desired Feelings

As with all the previous years, I knew I wanted to pick my core desired feelings this year, too. If you want to know more about core desired feelings, please go to my post from last year and you can see the links there.

I struggled with the process this year because I realized that I walked into the process with some attachment. I’d already picked a few words that I wasn’t willing to give up and I don’t think that’s how this is supposed to go. Unlike how I felt in 2015, I was ready to let go of my words from this year. Maybe that’s because I focused on them a lot more this year than I ever did before, thanks to my weekly intention posts.

Even though I was feeling a weird attachment and no desire to do the exercises, I decided to give it a go anyway. I told myself that I would do it and see if anything emerged.

And of course it did. Because when I do these exercises, things always emerge.

I am learning that there’s a pattern to my words each year. I always pick something around peacefulness, something around being brave, something around being open, and then maybe a few new ones.

Here’s what I came up with this year and what they each mean to me:

• Bold: This is my brave word for this year. I want to be bold. Take adventures. Be strong. Speak up. Take chances. Try new things. Take myself to the edges of my discomfort. Be willing to fail. Live in full color. I want to show up to my life. I want to always be pushing my boundaries. I think this lines up with shine wonderfully. Bold helps me go big. Be my bravest self.
• Mindful: I struggled with this word a lot. This started as easy. Mostly because I so deeply wish I were easy. I wish I wasn’t one of those people who needs to have certain things go exactly how I want it. I wish I wasn’t neurotic in some of the ways I am. I wish I were easier going. But I think that’s not what core desired feelings are for. At least not for me. Then I switched this to serene but I’ve had that before and that’s not the word I feel drawn to this time. I then thought of content which is my favorite feeling. Which then led me to google what the opposite of worry is. Because really what I want to feel is not worried. So then came this pot of gold. Mindful. Here’s what the article said: “Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you’re mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad.” Yes. This is what I want. To be present in this moment. To pay attention to this moment. To soak in it.  I want to feel mindful. Be fully here and now.
• Nourished: This one feels a bit like a catchall but honestly this was the one I just couldn’t put down. I want to feel nourished all over this year. Mind, body and soul. I want to feel strong in my body, I want to feel engaged in my mind, I want to feel alive in my soul. I want to feed myself healthy food both literally and figuratively. I want to walk away from everything toxic into everything nutritious.
• Love: This one came to me as I sat to write this post. I looked at all the words I’d written as part of doing the exercise and everything seemed to have a home except for words like generous, worth it, valued, kind, giving, contributing, etc. So I wanted something that encompassed all. And love is the one that came to me. I want to feel love. Love for myself. I want to show the love I feel to the people around me more. Focus on the love. Give it. Generously. I think this, too, goes wonderfully with shine.

So there we are. Even though they still fall within the themes I seem to have each year, all of these feel new to me in their own way and I like them all. I want to feel all of them. And that’s what Core Desired Feelings is all about. Here’s to feeling bold, mindful, nourished and love in 2017.