Set an Intention, Not a Resolution
Is it really the New Year already? Time is passing too fast. It seems like just yesterday I was setting resolutions, hopeful about accomplishing new goals and making positive changes in my life.
Big congratulations to those of you who achieved your resolutions. Celebrate and soak it in!
I am super goal oriented, reflective and place a big priority on personal growth (mind and body). I suppose this is why I have been committed to setting New Year’s resolutions every year since I was a little kid. Even though I did work hard to make many positive changes this year, not every resolution panned out the way I had hoped. And, in my case, life got in the way. Many of us set unrealistic or high goals and lose steam by the end of January or mid-year, which leads to feelings of demotivation, guilt and failure. If you are in this camp, be gentle on yourself and transition into the new year with a clean an open mind.
After all these years, I think I’ve figured it out. Resolutions don’t always work. Resolutions are often too specific. They work for short-term goals such as going for a run today, but don’t have the sustaining power you really need to stay motivated all year long. Resolutions also tend to focus on fixing flaws rather than addressing something deeper. Think about it, the resolution of losing weight implies you are currently overweight, the resolution of getting a new house reminds you that you’re currently unhappy in the one you have, and even something like “traveling more” may make you feel like your life lacks adventure. No wonder resolutions don’t always work, they’re too often nagging reminders of our shortcomings!
I am a creature of habit, but this year I am abandoning resolutions and trying a new approach. If resolutions haven’t proven effective for you in the past, then maybe it’s time for you to join me and try a new approach.
Set intentions, instead.
Unlike a resolution, which is a promise you make to yourself, an intention is a mindset. It’s less specific than something like exercising 4 times a week, but it’s also more connected to the core of what you really want, and therefore leaves you more open to fulfilling that in a variety of ways.
Here are examples of resolutions:
Meditate 5 times a week for 10 minutes
Avoid junk food
Reconnect or begin a new hobby
And here are their corresponding intentions:
Develop a calm mind
Live more healthfully
Make more time for creativity and fun
The difference is subtle, but it’s just enough to shift how your actions unfold. Which in turn will lead to more realistic lasting change.
For example, living more healthily could include avoiding junk food, but it also leaves you open to all sorts of possibilities to achieve the same goal, while keeping you more motivated, less bored, and less likely to give up throughout the year. Living more healthfully could manifest as eating more real foods, creating a calming bedtime routine to get better sleep, trying a new exercise, spending more time in nature, joining a CSA (community supported agriculture), re-evaluating relationships and surrounding yourself with positive and supportive people who bring out the best in you, etc. By not limiting yourself to one specific method, you open yourself up to a range of possibilities and increase your chances of ultimately reaching that deeper goal – sometimes through surprising ways.
Once you decide your intentions, make one or two small steps. Lots of small steps will add to big change.
Give it a try this year with me and see how it goes. At the very least we’ll take a break from resolutions and may discover that we don’t even miss them!
Best wishes for a happy and healthy new year. Let’s make next year your healthiest and best chapter yet!
xo
Susan
What are your intentions for the new year? Share in the comments below!