I usually love the task of picking my New Year’s Resolutions and intentions. But this year, I just wasn’t feeling it. Maybe it’s because I’ve been going 110 miles-an-hour for months…doing doing doing…and adding to my to-do list just didn’t appeal.

Maybe it’s because, with the passing of my dad this August, I’ve been in a more reflective place. Whatever the reason, I wasn’t inspired. But I went through the motions. I tried and tried again. But my mind was spent, so I stopped trying to pull water from an empty well. I accepted it, let go of trying, and carried on. “That’s the way it is this year,” I told myself. “And that’s okay.”

Then, something interesting happened. Two beautiful mantras came to me. It was as if they were being whispered in my ear: “I am enough” and “Enjoy.” Each time I thought about them, I felt a little lighter. Calmer. And so it was done. I didn’t need to pick my intentions for 2012. They picked me.

This experience leads me to what I want to share with you:
Sometime intentions come from a place of active choosing. Other times, they come from a place of deep surrender.

Let me clarify. When I say surrender, I don’t mean a malicious energy that pushes you into submission. I mean the tender, grace-filled energy that lifts you up and carries you….the energy of receiving and allowing.

So, rather than asking you what your resolution is for 2012, I leave you with this: What does your soul need today? This year? If no answer comes to you, that’s okay. Allow the question to hover. Listen. Go about your daily life. A gentle whisper might be calling to you soon. Happy New Year.

Warmly,
Ann
© 2012 Ann Drew Yu

To learn about my upcoming workshop at Edina Community Center, see below.

The Intention Workshop
In this engaging workshop, learn a unique approach to positive change that’s not about guilt or obsessive determination. It’s about inspired guidance, small steps, and fresh starts. Anyone can do it and experience success.

Start the New Year Year right – forget the resolutions, and identify your intentions for 2012.

If you’ve already attended an Intention Workshop and would like to refresh your intention practice, meet like-minded women, or share with a friend, this a wonderful 1-hour option. I hope to see you.

Where: Edina Community Center, Edina MN
Date: Thursday, January 26, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Cost: $19
To register: Click here

Are you familiar with The Girl Effect?  I wasn’t until recently.  Now, I can’t stop thinking about it.  The Girl Effect is a movement to solve the problems of our time by educating girls.  All girls.  It sounds overly simple.  Ridiculously Polly Anna-ish.  But it’s not.  It’s attainable.  It’s doable.  And it lifts us all up.  I don’t yet know what my role in this movement is.  But, I’m okay with that.  It will unfold.  Because I can’t stop thinking about it.

Please – watch this 3 minute video.  You’ll be glad you did.

My mind has been swirling lately. So many things to do. So many intentions.
Apparently, I’m not alone.  A friend recently told me she’s been avoiding
her Intention Box for that very reason–overwhelm.

Maybe you’re feeling the same way?  If so, this is what I recommend.

Pause. Remember The Intention Box is a warm invitation, not a “should.”
It’s a space that gives you permission to be still. It’s a place that invites
you to forget everything and start fresh. It’s a trusted friend that says,
pick “just one thing.”

When I did this, the answer I got was, “I want to notice my day. I want to
breathe deeply as I transition from one thing to another.”  As I visualized this,
a feeling of contentment washed over me. The day felt doable.

Try it.  Open your Intention Box, and clean it out.  Ask yourself,  “What’s
“just one thing” I’d like to invite into my day? The answer may surprise you.
It may have nothing to do with your goals, life purpose, or laundry list.
It may be very small. This is good.

Let me know how it works for you.
Ann

This new version of The Intention Box is a self-discovery tool that  empowers girls (ages 10+) to take action on their hopes and dreams.  The twenty Intention Cards by Ann Drew Yu speak to girls’ universal desires and interests.  Sample topics include:  Courage, Being Me, Kindness, Calm, Strength, Friendship, and My Future.  See the sample cards below for a taste of how they are playful, inviting, and really powerful.

Girls love the  secret compartments and creative process of The Intention Box.  Moms love how using it helps her daughter choose positive thoughts, listen to her inner voice, discover what she values, practice goal-setting, and more.

Price:  $48

Please note:  This is a limited edition.  Order soon while they last.

To purchase:  Call 952-920-9081.  (It’s so new, I don’t have it on my SHOP page….yet.)  We accept VISA and Mastercard.  Questions?  Email Ann at ann@anndrewyu.com

Images © Ann Drew Yu 2011.  All rights reserved.  Graphic design by Nancy Hope.

February 5 (Sunday)
Yoga + Intention for Girls
Ann Drew Yu and Kathy Flaminio
St. Paul
Private class

February 6 – March 26
Hopkins High School
The Intention Box Approach
Stress Management Pilot for High School Students
Closed.

February 9 (Thursday)
The Intention Workshop
6:30 – 8:30 pm
Green Lotus Healing and Yoga Center / Mendota Heights
Click learn more.

February 16 (Thursday)
Yoga + Intention: Ann Drew Yu and Kathy Flaminio
St. Paul Academy / Day of Wellness
Private event

Here’s a recent email conversation I had with Shelly,
a woman who just began her Intention Box practice.
When she wrote, things weren’t going as she’d hoped.  Her situation is a very real one, and she gave me permission to share it with you.

Shelly:  Hi, Ann.  I look at my intention every day, but I must admit my overall motivation is still lacking.  At least it makes me soul search more often, which is always good, right?

Ann:  Hmm…I have a few thoughts.  First, remember you’re in the middle of a self-discovery process. (Aren’t we all!).  I think it’s important to listen to the fact that you’re lacking motivation.   Why do you think that is?  Is your intention too big?  Too broad?  A “should”?  To get things moving, play around with it.  Change the wording.  Break it down.  If all else fails, throw it away and start fresh!   For me, living with intention is not a straight, tidy line.  It can be messy.  I sometimes get lost.  But it’s the trial and error, the commitment to keep asking the hard questions, that reveal the gems of clarity and truth.  Trust me, you’re on the right track.  I hope this is helpful.  Thank you for your honest sharing.

Shelly:  Thank you, Ann.  I will try those suggestions!  If I have any breakthroughs, I’ll let you know!  : )

After many failed attempts, Raymond and I have finally found a date night formula that works.

My criteria is stiff:  recapturing the butterfly feeling I had when we  were first dating. That’s a tall order, sixteen years and two kids later.  But, it was time to put some intention into our relationship.

Here’s the forumula that’s working for us:

Manageable:  Once-a-month

Unpredictable:  The date activity has to be new–something we’ve never done.

Surprise element:  This is my favorite part. We can’t reveal the plans for the date to the other until we’re pulling out of the driveway.

Taboo:  No talking kids or finances allowed. Period.

Dress code:  It’s a date.  Dress like it.  (Raymond set the bar on this one.  On our second date, he rounded the corner looking all snappy in a sports coat and striped shirt. When I saw that, I hightailed it upstairs and spiffed up, too.  What a nice surprise!)

Shared responsibility:  We alternate who’s in charge.  I plan one month, he plans the next.  The person in charge also manages kid coverage. Nice.

So far, we’ve seen a comedy show at Brave New Workshop, had late sushi at Fuji-Ya, viewed a fabulous exhibit at the Russian Museum of Art, and lunched at Blackbird.  We’re having a lot of fun.  After 10 years of focusing on the kids, it’s looooong overdue to invest in us. Side benefit – I’m remembering why I married  him.  I’d do it again. Butterflies!

101 Ways to Live a Better Life

Want to live a better life?  Metro Magazine has you covered.  In this month’s issue, they share 101 fun ideas, ranging from how to butcher a chicken to Feng Shui Your Bedroom.

Below is my section of the feature. (To read the other 100 ideas, click on the link at the end.)

Feng Shui Your Bedroom
1.  Remove anything that doesn’t support rest and intimacy.  This means getting rid of the TV, laptops, stacks of books and magazines, and any other kind of clutter.

2.  Set a tone of equality.  Flank the bed with a pair of nightstands or lamps.  Easy access to the bed on both sides is important. Don’t smush it against the wall.

3.  Surround yourself with symbols that support partnership, whether you’re in a relationship or not.  Happy photos of you and your significant other belong, snapshots of you and the kids do not.

4.   Bring on the pink.  Pink symbolizes love in the Feng Shui philosophy.  You don’t have to saturate your walls with rosy shades, but adding touches like lampshades, an candleholder or drapes will soothe the room’s energy.

Click here to read the complete Metro Magazine article.

The Gift of Warmth – I get cold easily.  That is, until I purchased a Smart Wool micro-weight crew shirt.  It changed my Minnesota-in-the-winter life.  Available locally at Midwest Mountaineering.  Price:  $65.

The Gift of Ideas – One of the more intriguing books I read this year is Made to Stick:  Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die.  It offers fascinating analysis and concrete tips to make your own ideas “stickier.”  I highly recommend it.  Price:  $25.

The Gift of Laughter – Give tickets to a ComedySportz show in Calhoun Village (or your local improv troop).  It’s improvisational comedy played a s sport.  My whole family loves this place.  Price:  $12 adults, $8 kids.

The Gift of Time – In June, my sister-in-law Stacie hosted my sons for four days in Iowa and loved ‘em up.  In July, my sister-in-lawy Julie set aside an entire day to teach them how to cook a 5-course French meal.  Thank you, Stacie and Julie, for giving one of the most precious gifts of all – your time.  Price:  Priceless.

The Gift of Encouragement – Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention The Intention Box.  Obviously, it’s something I believe in.  In 2009, it spurred me to take risks, hug my family more, and stay on track with my life purpose.  Do you know someone who is ready to re-direct her life, launch a dream, or simply take a deep breath?  The Intention Box may be just the nudge she needs.   Price:  $48.

Wishing you a holiday season filled with warmth, laughter, and love.