Setting my intentions for 2021

Cape Town has been a massive roller coaster of highs and lows so far, obviously I am so happy to be back in my spirit city and it’s so reassuring that I get the same butterflies every time; to put it simply and undeniably, this city has my soul and there is nowhere else I’m supposed to be right now.

I’ve been here just over a week and it’s been a whirlwind — reuniting with and meeting new people, climbing mountains, navigating the lockdown, which is no booze sales so no going out to drinks at my favourite bars; 9pm-6am curfew so no going out AT ALL and no sunrise hikes; beaches are closed, etc. It’s different from the Cape Town I am used to, and combined with other circumstances it was getting to be a bit much. Plus the pandemic brings a mix of stress and guilt, white supremacists are terrorizing the States and staring me in the face in South Africa, it’s a lot.

So I came on a little getaway to the sea for some me-time; rented a place in Simon’s Town where I could collect my thoughts, let go of what needed to be, and set some intentions for 2021. I wanted to make sure my head is clear and I’m setting myself up to be in the best place I can be. Which leads me to my main intention/goal for 2021:

Don’t forget to manifest.

As one of my besties put it in a voice note, “Keep your open heart, open mind, but don’t forget to do that thing where you um, will good things to happen, cause I feel like you’re good at that. Just visualize what it is that you’re after and it’ll come to you.”

When you get caught up on obstacles and distractions, you do forget to manifest. It’s an active process and this reminder was what I needed.

I jotted a few other things down.

Don’t forget to put yourself in situations where opportunities will come.
Don’t forget to put yourself in situations where magic will flow.
Don’t forget to put yourself out there, challenge yourself, dream big, get after it.
Don’t forget that “action isn’t just the product of motivation; it’s also the cause of it”
Don’t get dragged down or distracted by things that aren’t elevating you.
Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s still a pandemic.
This year has given me tons of me-time and taught me how to manage my wellbeing. Don’t lose that now. Do the little things that you know make you happy: voicenote or call the people who serve you, get into nature, listen to your fave song, go to your favourite restaurants/cafes/bars, take that me-time.
Don’t get stuck into thinking that setbacks and hurdles are blocking your path. Think bigger. Hustle harder.
Don’t forget that “I am are magic. I know I am magic and no one can stop my magical ass.”

For me, manifesting isn’t just thinking about something and passively letting it come to you. It’s embodying it, living it, and putting yourself in the best possible place — mentally, spiritually, physically, etc — for the magic to come. One of the reasons I love Cape Town so much is because the most magical things always come to me here. Safari opportunities, helicopter rides, mind blowing sunrises, plane rides, meeting new people who expand my mind and make me feel valued, working from cool cafes where inspiration and ambition flows. This can be found (on a slightly lesser scale) wherever I am in the world. I know when I feel stagnant and I know when I feel open to letting these things flow in and I know what I need to do to get to that spot. That’s how I’ve gotten to where I am, but you know “I didn’t come this far to only come this far”. So that’s my new year’s resolution: actively put myself in situations where the inspiration and opportunity and success and happiness will continue to flow to me. Don’t forget to manifest.