Of a certain age...

Ten... nine... eight... seven... here comes 2016, ready or not! A new year with new opportunities and challenges is right over the horizon.

I gave up making New Year's resolutions a long time ago, so as to not disappoint myself around the end of January when I would lose the enthusiasm for whatever improvement I had thought would be good to make.

As the curtain goes down on 2015, I am aware of feeling a nudge to make some sort of commitment or plan for something in my life - but I haven't known what. As often happens when it's time to write a column, three different things happened today that brought the concept of "seeing with new eyes" to my attention.

"That's it!" I thought. The answer to my nudge and the subject for my column - seeing with new eyes.

Perhaps the reason so many of us fail in our New Year's resolutions is because we are trying to make changes while looking at our lives from the same perspective, with the same attitude, and same thought process. Not much likelihood for success there.

But by looking at the world and my situation with new eyes - from a different perspective, with a different attitude, and a new thought process - my chances of accomplishing whatever it is I am trying to do are much greater.

I've always liked the word "intention." Somehow, saying "I intend to," is kinder and gentler than, "I have to" or "I need to" or "I should." Intention is more about allowing myself to choose to do something, whereas those other words are more like a command or order to do something, and I have a tendency to disregard orders.

Good intention is the positive driver behind an act of will, providing the impetus to move in a particular direction. "Should," "ought," and "have to" are more about coercion and being guilt-driven. Being fully aware of my genuine intentions allows me to take responsibility for the consequences of my actions. I can't blame anyone else if something goes awry.

I found a simple but effective technique for contemplating and discerning my genuine intentions, developed by Linda Curran. It has three parts: a guided imagery script, a follow-up worksheet, and an embodied commitment.

The process involves examining my values and successes, and then with compassion, understanding, and forgiveness for myself, considering how I might do a better job of living out my personal values.

What brings meaning to my life? What is my true purpose? How can I better fulfill that purpose? After considering those questions, there is a worksheet to fill out to help identify my intentions. I then pick one, perhaps the easiest to accomplish. Think about the opposite of the intention, or what might stand in the way. Carefully evaluate the obstacle and then choose to act despite there being an obstacle. It's kind of like, being forewarned is forearmed so I won't be easily derailed. I will also consider how much others and I might benefit if my intentions were realized.

There are several other steps that follow and when I am sure that my intentions are sound, I make the decision on what first step I will take.

I am looking forward to approaching the new year with my new eyes. I have been feeling pretty stuck the last six months and now I think I have found a way to be re-energized. I'm excited to do the exercise to discern my intentions for the coming year.

The first thing my new eyes have recognized is that it's not a bad or scary thing that my abilities and desires are naturally changing as I age. I will simply accept the changes as part of life and embrace all the good and positive things I can still do and still enjoy.