Setting intentions for the New Year can be a great way to begin the New Year on a positive note. Often times, we set intentions without really thinking about why or how we are going to achieve them. This can make it difficult to really achieve these goals.
Rather than think about New Years resolutions in terms of things or behaviors that need to be "fixed" in a negative light, it is best to reframe our mindset of how we approach setting these intentions. Setting intentions for the New Year allows us to be mindful and focus on the positive nature of these intentions. These intentions can be related to health, wellness, stress, nutrition, physical activity, meditation, family, and more! Use your intentions as a way to guide your actions.
There are a few tips to consider when thinking about setting your intentions for the new year.
Set realistic goals
Setting realistic, yet, specific goals is important for success. If you wish to work towards a large goal, identify smaller steps you will take along the way to achieve this. For instance, if you wish to start incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet, maybe you start by adding this to your meals and then slowly into your snacks as well. It may also be helpful to write down your goals so you can refer back to them and track progress. You may even consider using a journal for this purpose or sharing your intentions with family or friends who can help support you along this journey.
Understand why you want to make change
Take some time to think about why you want to make a change. Is there something you always wanted to achieve? What do you enjoy? What does this goal look like to you if you achieve it? How does it benefit your life? Consider these questions to understand why you want to make a behavior change. Try to identify an area that you are interested or passionate about as this will make working towards and achieving the goal more likely to occur. By setting an intention involving values you care about, this may help to create habits that will promote positive change.
Be positive
Working towards a goal can present challenges, however, remaining positive can help you to overcome these challenges. If you experience obstacles toward achieving your identified intentions, its okay. Celebrate when you achieve small goals and look at your obstacles as opportunities.