I love the darkness of winter. The short days and long nights encourage introspection and reflection on life. But even while I’m gazing inward, the season is expanding as daylight lengthens incrementally after solstice. During this time I find it helpful to set intentions for the coming year. No, I’m not making resolutions, for those are easily broken. I’m simply setting directions in which to move as the world gets lighter.

I intend to work on:

Creating opportunity
That means work like crazy to make the most of what I do have, instead of bemoaning what I don’t have (a job). I want to fill the employment vacuum I’m in right now with creativity, energy, and hope. More painting. More writing. More blogging. And maybe some badly needed studio organization.

Grabbing opportunity
Opportunity is a slippery little critter, like a speckled trout. If I’m fortunate to catch a fish, I don’t want it to slip the hook and flip back into the water. That means I’ve got to keep my wits about me and hold on with a firm grasp to opportunities large and small. And  while one fish might evade my grasp, there are more in the lake who will take the right bait.

Finishing
Yes. Finish projects. ‘nuff said.

Building skills
Learn useful skills to become a better product, so that I’m more marketable to potential employers. But also learn useless skills, to make myself a better human. Yes, that means the banjo!

Fighting fear
Sometimes it seems like disaster is only a breath away, and the fear of the unknown is paralyzing. So when the dragon-who-breathes-anxiety attacks, my plan to fight it is to grab a pencil and paper and write something, or take up a brush and paint a picture, thereby defending calm, peace, and productivity. (All the while incidentally helping accomplish my first intention.)

Playing
I mean to have some real fun. Shoot some hoops, go rock jumping, dance, make up dirty lyrics to pop songs. Anything that is pointless and brings smiles and unrestrained giggling.

Those are my winter intentions. Reader, what are yours?