All my writing is organised in a writing software (livingwriter.com). I have several folders or "manuscripts", one being for these letters to you. Inside, I created are sections for the years. Once you open 2022, each month is a chapter and within the month, each letter is a subchapter. 

 

When we talk about chapters in relation to life, we think of an era in our life. We often mention chapters when something ends and sometimes when something begins. We quickly forget the notion of chapters in between which is a shame because it is helpful to remind ourselves that we are in a particular chapter with its specific purpose and challenges, its beauty and rewards. Our suffering often comes from wanting things that belong to other chapters — past or future.

 

I have come to realise that if we consider the idea of subchapters then we might be able to lessen that suffering. You can give a subchapter the length you wish: a month, a term, a season, six months or a year. I like the idea of each month being a subchapter because the blank slate returns pretty quickly giving me the chance to reset regularly.

 

Every new month, you can set yourself:

• a new intention: What do I need? How do I want to feel? What could I do this month to experience that?
• a top goal for the month (your house, your health, a new project, a course, a creative undertaking) 
• a new order of priority for the other projects
• a new morning or evening routine (you could try a new habit or ritual for a month)
• new rules: Why not? 

 

For me, the whole idea of seeing each month as a subchapter of my life is two-fold. One, it restores a sense of control as I plan not only what I will do but also how I will feel, not that I am always successful, far from it but at least I see my priorities and how what I want to do can fit amongst the things that need to be done. Secondly, it re-injects some enthusiasm for life, reminding me that regardless of where I am in the big picture of my life, I can plan to have a good month. Even if you are 90, if you plan to intentionally feel good and do things you love, you are bound to feel excited about life again.

 

Ultimately, our goal is to feel good and setting an intention to add whatever is missing in your life is key to achieving it. Life is constantly shifting our best-laid plans and we are quick to forget our January intentions, so I have come to love pressing the reset button every month. How empowering to remember that we are in charge of the way we want to feel! Want love? Give it! Want fun? Seek it! Want creativity? Schedule it! There are accounts and memoirs of people having experienced all sorts of adversity that can inspire us and provide guidance to feel better for less than £20.

 

On this first weekend of June, plan to feel good this month and do what you can to achieve that. What could make June a better month than it might be if you let outside elements take the lead? How can you create what you want to experience?