Inner Compass: Intentions, Intuition, & Inspiration

I set inner compass for my word for 2023, and my intention is to live these words. Setting an intention or word for the year is different than setting a resolution or goal, but I believe it complements my annual practice of publishing goals. While my 2023 goals are measurable and driven by habits, my intentions for the year lean on wants and hopes.

Last year, anytime I tried a new trail or restaurant, I learned to state my intention. Usually “safety,” “fun,” or “learning” were my considerations. Likewise, these written intentions below are soul-searching, exploring how I aim to feel, act, and learn. Coincidentally, last week, the Head of School at my job had us admin introspect by writing our professional intentions for the rest of the school year. This morning, I also spent 20 minutes meditating on my personal intentions for the calendar year. Some overlap.

Here’s some of my personal intentions for 2023:

I intend to work on projects with people who lift me up. But I will also practice sitting still, to celebrate wins and listen to my gut.

I want to honor my energy. I create boundaries of what I am comfortable sharing.

I hope to listen before speaking. Being an Ally and Anti-Racist means listening and amplifying others’ voices.

Every day, I will learn, listen to a new song, and hug.

I nourish my body with water, will run in the sunshine, and appreciate comfortable, sustainable, vegan clothes and shoes.

I will honor my voice and share my truth honestly, in what I write, say, eat, and wear.

I make and respect art. Art, and goodness, is everywhere. Sometimes, I gotta create it.

I am a morning person and will enjoy the sun.

I am more than what I do. I am what, who, and where I value.

I will learn agility and bravery and will be curious, thoughtful, and kind to myself and others.

Exurb from Kaylie Longley’s Intentions for the Year, 1/10/2023

That’s probably the most “I’s” I’ve ever written, back-to-back (sorry, SEO!). Crazy that these surprisingly emotional words are out in the world. But I intend to own my story. Honesty is one of my cardinal values, and so I hope these “inner compass” posts will reflect that.

These intentions are the start, a trailhead on this journey. I still must keep going on this adventure, and questions abound:

• Who am I, listening to my intentions?
• What do I value?
• How do I want to live?
• What, who, where do I really want?

Fortunately, I am discovering these answers, and sometimes my feelings change. That’s why I am structuring these “inner compass” posts with questions, instead of vignettes. (Click here for the inner compass introduction, including the content schedule and inspiration). Diving in, who am I?

Right now, my identity rests in what I value:

I value intelligence – there are different definitions, but I hope to lean into emotional intelligence this year. Bookish by nature, when I finally chose an independent path of self-designing a bachelor’s degree in film and media, I received nearly all As (that ended almost a decade ago). Don’t worry, I kept learning.

I value independent learning – I am a lifelong learner. Project-based learning is all about possibility. For me, that means learning new software, creating new systems, and discovering data. Internships and jobs (AKA not my degree) led me to understand how to build cross-channel campaigns, a key strategy in marketing! In addition, I continue to study psychology, my minor while in college, such as Science of Well-Being and Moralities of Everyday Life, both by Yale professors. My 2023 goals also include reading through by bookshelf and regular writing on my book research.

These values motivate me to live a life that includes continual learning, and so now I ask, how do I want to live?

I want to be inspired daily. Yes, writers gotta write, and as Bird by Bird continues to remind me, that means writing, even if I’ve absorbed everything around me or nothing at all. There are characters, plot, and dialogue all around. And so I am trying to absorb it all, with a notebook at the ready. At work, there’s a notebook in my desk drawer; in my car, I’m scribbling on lose receipts (oops); at home, there’s journals for practically every habit, such as “crapbooking” my lose papers every week, gratitude journaling, and list-making.

I want to be inspired by others’ art, too, instead of feeling like I’m an imposter or outsider. I am working to unfollow folks who drain my energy, aka soulsucking trolls or ASMR content farmers. Instead, I am focused on following artists, activists, therapists, and friends, engaging with folks who are POC, neurodivergent, and/or LGBTQIA+.

So too “in real life”, I am making connections with artists. I’ve met (published!) author Chris, I regularly attend “crafty crew” hangouts with other womxn, and pay attention to and visit events that amplify unique voices, such as at Red Line. By showing up, I’ve met a new friend, Marissa of Smokeblood Publishing at the airport, thanks to her suitcased ukulele. Our conversation led to connections over poetry and dance. There is inspiration everywhere, if I simply pay attention.

I am a listener, and I’m learning to listen to my intuition.

According to Myers Briggs, my personality of INFJ-A is among the most rare. An introvert, I have learned to respect my energy and say, “no” to groups or events that might drain precious energy. Boundaries are still difficult for me, especially for close friendships and time. However, I am preserving myself first, such as trying to leave work by 5, or even before 4:30 like today. In honor of the unexpected sun, I went for a run! Woohoo, nailed one intention today.

Protecting my energy goes hand-in-hand with the intuitive side of my personality. My gut knows when things are right, wrong, novel, or routine. That’s one reason why I have learned to create systems. Now I see that it is my intuition who can identify traits and structures, sometimes before my brain or heart knows.

In 2023, I will be listening to my intuition, and right now, that looks like NOT sharing some sad stories about returning to Milwaukee for the holidays. Instead, I’ll share that my gut was hurting New Year’s Day (and yet Marissa and I still managed to connect!). What was my gut needing that my hometown/family/I myself did not fulfill? Who is responsible for gut reactions? Perhaps that’s something I’ll learn in the new year.

Intuitively, I know the gut is a system, full of life. Some feelings perhaps even begin there, and I think it’s where my anxiety makes a (starter?) home. So, as I get ready to publish this first “inner compass” post, I will say this: 2022 brought a host of experiences like ever-lingering grief over the loss of my person, turning 30, and complicated feelings after 2 breakups. Therefore, I am still learning who and what my gut is. And right now? It’s (she’s?) looking for balance.

Ultimately, I am looking to balance independence with involvement in 2023.

I value being actively involved in all of my professional and personal roles, from home life to my various jobs. One of my key values is providing a space for everyone to share their perspectives. The result is often fun, thoughtful, and engaging. For example, at work, I am grateful to be part of a highly effective team. We get good stuff done, due in part to each having a clear role. We are involved in big picture and detailed strategies, and once some projects are out in the world, I’ll definitely share more. Just know I’m excited!

But right now, the work I’m detailing here is about my freelance practice. I currently edit resumes, but I am considering publishing rates for other projects. If we’ve collaborated, you probably know I design websites for fellow independent folks, storyboard art projects, and copyedit long-form writing. My portfolio shares some of that, with an update coming next month. I want to be brave and start sharing rates for this independent work. I gotta start amplifying my own voice, because no one else will, and even optimize this site.

One reason why this took so long to share? I am still learning what my life’s work is. I think my vision for my independent, freelance work is for fellow creatives to feel good about creating art and its marketing, and I can help with a bit of both. So that work/life balance actually feels possible. And yes, I want to surround myself with fellow creatives so I too keep making art. Marketing your art can be a collaborative, not competitive practice.

So too am I independent in my relationships. It is not my job to be pretty, smart “enough,” healthy “enough,” clever, or anything else for a life partner. I am my own person, take it or leave it. Or at home, even though I love living with 3 individuals with shared values, I have no agenda. It is simply my job to show up. And you know, be an adult, pay rent, cook sometimes, clean. That’s my involvement. I love that I don’t have to be “on” all the time and instead am learning to advocate for myself. For example, my roomie and I are planning a return to joyful Zumba. And once in a while, I love having the space to chill, such as my current state of typing away.

Eventually, I want to live independently again, and one of my 2023 goals is to design a tiny home. No mortgage. No roommates (well, maybe a dog). Just me and some rad wheels. It’s something I’ve considered since 2017, when I visited 2 friends who temporarily traded their RV for their dad’s place in Colorado (which was one of the reasons I was inspired to move here!). I thought “life on wheels” sounded like a great tagline, and still do, and now I know I can make it happen. Just keep saving, researching different organizations and designs, and start making this minimalist, independent dream a reality.

So these are just some of my intentions for the year. I will keep learning who I am, what I value, and I hope you too consider what inspires you. For more content on my word for the year, I’ll be back on February 10th. That’s when I’ll answer questions on the first N of “inner compass.” If you’d like to share your intention or word for 2023, thoughts on goals, or something else, just let me know with a comment!