The book, “Do Less” by Kate Northrup, which happened to be the last book that I read in 2020, inspired our word of the year - maʻalahi [mah ah lah-hee] - meaning to simplify. Yes, in 2021, our intention is to do less. 2020 showed me that I made life way more complex and overscheduled than it needed to be. I used to fill my weekends, especially during the holiday season. We would hit the mall (repeatedly) to get all of the holiday shopping done, see the holiday lights (all around town), attend winter performances (there was one for every class and extracurricular activity), make merry at every holiday party we were invited to, pack up the family to visit with relatives (we actually celebrated an early Christmas with one side of the family and the actual event with the other), and more.

But, last year, I found that there didn’t need to be an activity scheduled into every hour of every weekend. Turns out rushing from one lesson or playdate to another doesn’t leave time to simply be present or give my daughter the chance to appreciate and savor the simple joys in life. Pre-COVID, we were rarely home. Now, my 5-year-old is creating make-believe-worlds in our own home. She conjured up our own zoo out of cardboard boxes and stuffed animals - an impressive show of imagination and creativity. We also found joy in the simple pursuits of gardening, cooking and reading together. These are joys I’ll take with me into 2021. 

So, this year, I’m gonna leave the calendar open. Do we need to have plans every weekend? No we don’t.

And I’m going to ask myself: What else can I let go of? 

In her book, Kate Northrup poses the following question, which I love:

“What can I do to make this day easier?”

I find it such a powerful question to start the day with. It sets the tone and is an amazing way to self care, giving myself permission to simplify and let go.

But should I find myself returning to old habits of taking on too much, I’ll revisit the following three questions outlined by Northrup to return my focus on the things that really matter (and get help for the rest). Because, as Northrup points out, we can’t go it alone. 

• Does this need to be done?

• Does this need to be done by me?

• Does this need to be done right now?

What’s your intention(s) for 2021? If you’re a She Lives Aloha subscriber, snap a picture of your worksheet to share with us. We’d love to see it! We hope it helped guide you in distilling your intentions for the new year. 

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