Setting Intentions: Choosing How You Want to Show Up

Starting the New Year may feel refreshing while also feeling pressure to change habits that are difficult to break. Searching for ways to inspire or motivate yourself can feel like a chore or may become a barrier to change. Accomplishing new tasks and mastering/modifying behaviors for the New Year starts out with setting a resolution or intention.

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A resolution, which focuses on a commitment to the outcome, tends to be specific and often does not allow for flexible thinking or deviation from the goal. For some people, this stricter outline can be helpful. For others, it creates a sense of lack of accomplishment or failure if a person does not consistently or immediately start engaging in this resolution. Feeling pressure to perform at 100% efficiency and consistency reduces motivation to continue on with these goals. People will often start to focus more on what they are NOT doing instead of what small accomplishments or changes that they are achieving.

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An intention, which is a commitment to the process, can be a more flexible way of thinking to help change behaviors and accomplish goals. This perspective allows a person to focus on participation in the activity or the process instead of seeking a result or finish line. Intentions allow for a more open-ended approach to goal accomplishment. For example, creating an intentional word (ex. exploration) can be applied to different areas of a person’s life. Exploration could include traveling locally, exploring different values about one's self, or exploring hobbies that have been put on hold.

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When developing an intention or resolution, it is important that you are practicing patience and kindness towards yourself. These methods will help motivate and create behavior change and avoid judging your current efforts.

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Resolution example: I am going to exercise 35 mins a day.

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Intention example: I am going to try and incorporate more movement into my day.
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Intentional words:‍

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● Exploration
● Movement
● Rest
● Connection
● Appreciation
● Forgiveness
● Boundaries
● Strengthen
● Clarity
● Trust
● Reclaim
● Direction
● Embrace
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Intentional Goals:

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● Discover my values and joys

● Encourage and show empathy towards myself and others

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● Practice patience and kindness on my journey

● Find pride in the small things that I do

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● Remember everyday that I am human

● Focus on my small accomplishments and efforts

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Resolutions:

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● Save $50/week
● Apply to 5 jobs a month
● Call my family once a week
● Exercise every day
● Take one trip a quarter