SETTING INTENTIONS INSTEAD OF RESOLUTIONS

I’m not a big fan of the word “resolution” or “goal.” In my head, it’s like I have this expectation of outcome and for me personally, when I set an expectation of outcome, I’m usually disappointed because my expectations are so high of either myself or other people. I also don’t think that you should wait until January 1st to decide what you’re going to do for the year. I think it is that all or nothing mentality of saying you’re just going to wait until January 1st and then all of a sudden there is a reset button and your life is just going to get better. I can attest to this time and time and time again, when I knew those New Year resolutions were coming and I picked a date to start some new diet. Leading up to that period, I would go crazy and I would eat everything and not even listen to my body or think of my body. #storyofmylife

WHAT IS AN INTENTION

What seems to work for me is setting “intentions.” My intention over the holidays was to listen to my body. Did I listen to my body 100% of the time? No… but did I listen to it enough, and set the intention and felt good about it? Definitely! The difference is, I didn’t beat myself up over it when I wasn’t listening to my body, because I set the intension, so there was no expectation toward myself.

I love the word intention instead of goal or expectation. I feel like intentions manifest much more beautifully and there’s not any pressure behind them. I try to set little morning intentions every day. Something as simple as: I’m going to listen to my body today, or I’m going to make sure I stay well hydrated, and get enough sleep. It’s perfectly okay to not fulfill these intentions 100%, but for the most part, you’re really intending to take care of yourself. I think that’s a much healthier way to look at making health changes or lifestyle changes; whatever kind of intention you have for the new year, and it can be anything, look at it in that sense. Because I feel that even just saying the word intention and taking away goal or resolutions just feels lighter. It feels better to say. It feels softer. As opposed to the voice in your head yelling at you.

It’s so important that when we set those intentions and set whatever it is that we want for ourselves, to look at yourself and where you are currently at and accept that and don’t be hard on yourself for where you currently are. Set small goals, because when we set those small, little goals, and achieve them, it helps to build our confidence that we can continue to achieve, and we are doing good on this journey versus setting all of these massive expectations and goals. Because then if we don’t meet them, there’s that voice in your head saying things like, “I’m not good enough, I hate myself, I’m not going to be able to achieve this. I’m going to feel this way and look this way forever. Ugh I need a snack.”

It’s a shift in mindset.

In my opinion, I do think that too much change at once is very overwhelming and it can set you up to completely fall off the wagon. If I’m like “Okay, I’m going to increase my water intake from 2 glasses to 12 glasses a day today; I’m going to throw everything bad out in my cupboards; I’m going to cut out refined sugars and gluten and never eat fast food again and I’m going to cut back my portion sizes and exercise 6 days a week for an hour a day.” Like holy crap, I’m exhausted and stressed just typing that, and I’m already ready to drive to the store to binge because I’m triggering myself by trying to think of how I’m going to be able to do all of this and up keep that.

The setting of expectations on ourselves I think ties in with that. It’s like, “I have to go to the gym even though I’m exhausted. I have to make all of these pre-prepared lunches and dinners.” It’s a lot of change all at once and there’s so much change and pressure and expectations and we start to think well if Susie is doing it at the office, why cant I? – Well, Susie might not have the same life as you and Susie might have taken 10 years to get to the point of where she is.

PRACTICE SETTING INTENTIONS

What I like to do is more or less like manifesting. I write down everything that I achieved and want to reflect on and that I’m happy about from the previous year, and then I say to myself, “In the new year, these are some things that I’d really love to achieve or manifest into my life or grow.” And then I have that to go back to. I find when I get to the end of my year, if there’s things I haven’t achieved, now I’m to the point where I don’t get upset with myself, or disappointed or frustrated about it, I just focus on what I have achieved and tell myself it’s okay that I didn’t quite get to these things. It’s just all growth to me and learning. Don’t let your inner voice get hard on yourself. This is the growth you’ve achieved, so celebrate that and then everything that has come your way has been a learning experience. To me it’s all a gift.

Take a moment to honor your achievements and be thankful. Life is too short to not celebrate every big thing and little thing! Sometimes we have to remind ourselves why we are doing this.

What are some of your intentions you plan on setting for the new year? //

To a life in full,

♡Amanda