Kristin Andress – Setting Intentions for a New Year

Author, Consultant, Speaker
Kristin Andress

Bestselling author Kristin Andress prefers setting intentions instead of goals for the New Year. She says that intentions require actions, while goals may not. Her intention in all of her consultant work and writing is to help others understand how to live the deliberate life she has set for herself, to wake up and pay attention to that intention, check it regularly and make sure you’re still on track. She says it’s a matter of perspective; intention focuses more on how you choose to be instead of what you want to do.

In an inspiring and practical conversation, Dr. Nancy and Kristin talked about how we all try to make each New Year the best year ever but then lose our determination as we get caught up in the busyness of life and end the year not having achieved what we wanted. So how do we get beyond that barrier to living the life we intended?

Three Qualities to Create the Life You Intend

Kristin says the biggest thing you can do for yourself is to

  • Be proactive
  • Take initiative
  • Be persistent.

These qualities make all the difference between just going through life and creating the life you choose. Dr. Nancy adds that both Stedman Graham (Kristin’s client for 11 years) and Oprah Winfrey advise us not to wait around. Oprah says, “If you’re waiting for someone to make you happy, they’re not coming.” Stedman says too many of us go through life in the box we created for ourselves and don’t even think about how to get out. Kristin agrees that it’s important to take responsibility for your own life, choose your own direction and take the reins of life in hand.

Kristin’s Chapter in Leading Women

Kristin’s chapter in Leading Women: 20 Influential Women Share Their Secrets to Leadership, Business, and Life is titled “The Power of Perspective and Perception.” Dr. Nancy reads from the chapter “When you focus on mastering your mind and thus your perception and perspective, you discover different paths in the landscape of your possibilities.” Dr. Nancy goes on to talk about why Kristin was chosen to contribute to Leading Women. Kristin has been in the trenches. She is a small town girl who oversaw a multi-million dollar budget while managing an international staff for Arthur Andersen. She then co-wrote a book that is still on the best seller list, Imagine Being in a Life You Love, and she now consults and strategizes with thought-leaders, corporations and even governments. Beyond this track record, she is one of 20 influential co-authors who seeks to empower other women by sharing insights gained from years of traveling the path to a successful life.

The Economics of Goodness

Kristin was recently invited to co-author a new book, due out in March, called The Economics of Goodness. Dr. Ron Jenson, who has been part of Campus Crusade for Christ, came up with the idea of how good begets good. Kristin says that throughout the holidays the line from the Christmas song, “Be good for goodness sake,” rang in her ears. She predicts that the book will be easily digestible. It will contain stories and anecdotes about good things the U.S. has done historically in addition to not-so-good things that need to be changed, and it will offer reflections on how we as individuals can contribute to goodness in the world.

Choose Your Word for the New Year

One of the things Dr. Jenson suggested to guide Kristin’s intentions for the New Year was to choose a word to reflect how you want to be throughout the year. Kristin chose the word “peacefulness.” She added that one of her friends chose “fearless,” and another chose “happiness.”

We hope that these reflections will provide you with practical advice about how you can change your perspective in small ways in the New Year. You can live the life you want through meaningful actions like being true to yourself, developing positive self-talk and performing simple acts of kindness.

Be sure to check out Kristin’s website for more information about her work today.

 

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