Living With Intention: My Words of the Month for the Year

For a long time, I tried to change my life all at once. New routines, new goals, new expectations—stacked so high they collapsed by February. This year, I’m doing things differently.

Instead of chasing perfection, I’m choosing presence.
Instead of rushing, I’m honoring the seasons.
Instead of fixing everything, I’m cultivating a life that feels good to live in.

That’s why I chose a word for each month, not as pressure, but as a companion. A quiet guide that helps me move intentionally through the year, aligned with the natural rhythm of home, body, creativity, and rest.

Here’s what each month means to me, and how I plan to live it.

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January: RESET

January isn’t about becoming someone new.
It’s about returning to myself.

After the noise of the holidays, I crave simplicity, clear counters, quiet mornings, and routines that ground me again. Reset is my permission to slow down, reassess, and gently realign without urgency.

January is for clearing space, physically and mentally, so the year has room to unfold.

Goals:

• Reset my daily rhythms (morning routine, movement, meals)
• Declutter one area of my home each week to create calm, functional spaces

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February: CREATE

Winter invites us inward, and for me, that’s where creativity lives best.

Create is about making for the joy of it, not for productivity or perfection. It’s choosing hobbies, DIY projects, writing, cooking, and art simply because they bring me back to myself.

February reminds me that creativity doesn’t have to be shared to be meaningful.

Goals:

• Complete one creative project each week (DIY, art, baking, or writing)
• Reconnect with a hobby I love without turning it into “content” or obligation

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March: STRENGTH

March is a bridge, between rest and growth, winter and spring.

Strength this month isn’t just physical. It’s emotional resilience, consistency, and trusting myself to keep going even when motivation fades. It’s showing up quietly and steadily.

This is the month I build a strong foundation, for my body, my routines, and my confidence.

Goals:

• Commit to consistent movement and strength training each week
• Practice mental strength through boundaries, rest, and self-trust

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April: PLANT

April is all about beginnings.

Plant represents intention, choosing what I want to grow and placing it gently into my life. Gardens get planned, ideas take root, and habits begin to feel possible again.

This month is about planting seeds without rushing the harvest.

Goals:

• Start my garden and seasonal home projects
• Establish one new habit that supports my long-term well-being

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May: BLOOM

Bloom is the reward for patience.

May reminds me to notice what’s working, to celebrate progress instead of constantly reaching for “more.” This is the month I let myself be seen, enjoy momentum, and lean into joy.

Blooming doesn’t mean busy, it means alive.

Goals:

• Spend intentional time outside enjoying my garden and home
• Say yes to moments that feel joyful, creative, and expansive
• Break ground on our new project!

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June: NOURISH

Nourish is about care, real, sustainable care.

June asks me to feed my body well, tend to my emotional health, and nurture the life I’m building. It’s slow mornings, homemade meals, movement that feels good, and checking in with myself honestly.

Nourishment is an act of devotion to the life I want to sustain.

Goals:

• Prioritize nourishing meals, hydration, and gentle routines
• Protect my energy by honoring rest and balance

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July: CELEBRATE

July is for joy without guilt.

Celebrate doesn’t have to mean big events, it can be a Tuesday morning coffee, a birthday week, or a quiet evening on the deck. This month reminds me that life is happening now.

Celebration is how I mark the beauty of being alive.

Goals:

• Celebrate milestones, birthdays, and everyday wins
• Create summer traditions that feel meaningful and slow

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August: ABUNDANCE

Abundance is already here, I just have to notice it.

August invites gratitude, presence, and contentment. The garden is full, routines feel familiar, and life feels rich in small ways.

This month teaches me that enough is a powerful place to stand.

Goals:

• Practice daily gratitude and mindfulness
• Preserve summer abundance through canning, freezing, and memory-making

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September: HARVEST HOME

September is deeply emotional for me.

Harvest Home represents gathering, food, memories, lessons, and comfort. It’s turning inward again, nesting, and honoring the fruits of the year so far.

This month is about home as a feeling, not just a place.

Goals:

• Harvest, preserve, and prepare my home for fall
• Reflect on what this year has given me and what I want to carry forward

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October: SPOOK

October is playful, cozy, and creative.

Spook allows me to fully embrace what I love, Halloween, moody nights, traditions, and seasonal fun. It’s permission to lean into joy without explaining it.

This month reminds me that adulthood can still be magical.

Goals:

• Fully decorate and celebrate the Halloween season
• Create cozy fall rituals that make home feel enchanting

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November: GIVE THANKS

November grounds me.

Give Thanks isn’t just gratitude, it’s acknowledgment. Of growth, of people, of hard seasons survived. It’s slowing down and honoring the quiet goodness in my life.

Gratitude turns ordinary days into sacred ones.

Goals:

• Practice intentional gratitude daily
• Host or participate in meaningful gatherings with loved ones

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December: REFLECT & PLAN

December is both an ending and a beginning.

Reflect & Plan allows me to close the year gently, without judgment, and step into the next one with clarity. It’s about learning, not critiquing.

This month is where intention is reborn.

Goals:

• Reflect on the year through journaling and rituals
• Thoughtfully plan the next year with alignment and ease

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Final Thoughts

These words aren’t rules.
They’re reminders.

They give me permission to move slowly, honor the seasons, and build a life that feels rooted, nourishing, and deeply mine. I’m no longer chasing a version of myself, I’m tending to the one I already am.

And that feels like the most intentional choice of all.