Setting Intentions for the New Year
The practice of making New Year's resolutions can be as much of an annual ritual as staying up until midnight on New Year’s Eve. For some, using the start of a new year to set goals is a helpful marker for measuring personal success. (If that’s you, read our past blogs on setting achievable resolutions, while practicing self-compassion, here and here.) For others, feelings of pressure and anxiety arise when trying to make multiple lifestyle changes all at once. Then, once these changes become unsustainable, shame inevitably rears its ugly head.
I am very familiar with the experience of setting unrealistic resolutions, “messing up” shortly into the new year, and feeling bad about my perceived failure. No matter what I tried, I always felt like I fell short. Thankfully, everything changed a few years ago when I tried something new: I started setting New Year’s intentions instead of New Year’s resolutions.
The word “resolution" usually connotes that there is something needing to be completed or fixed. But a lot can happen in the span of a year - priorities shift, circumstances change, and relationships with others evolve. And so, it makes sense to make room for growth and change rather than attempting to “resolve” something that has so many unpredictable factors.
This is where setting intentions can be helpful. Setting intentions is by no means a new phenomenon, but it was a refreshing change for me the first time I tried it. Intentions provide an open space for exploring all of the possibilities of a new year, and with that space, a sense of self-efficacy can flourish. Think about the difference in the following example: a resolution might be to exercise more to achieve an external goal of changing the shape of your body. However, a related intention might be to explore and engage in a movement practice that fosters connecting with your body. Can you see how the latter is less limiting while still providing a focus?
Intentions can become a grounding practice throughout the year, as well. When unexpected challenges arise, refocusing on the intention you set can give you a better sense of direction. The first year I tried setting intentions, it centered around connecting with others. So when I found myself overwhelmed with the work of graduate school and other life stressors, I would come back to that intention and find ways to ground myself more deeply in my support system.
You might think, “This sounds like a great idea, but how do I even begin to choose an intention?” Try using your therapist’s favorite homework - journaling! Begin by reflecting on the past year - the times you were aligned with your values, the times you were not, and how you’d like to incorporate them more in the coming year. Engaging in an abundance mindset (thinking about what you want more of in your life) is another helpful starting point. Then, once you’ve come up with some ideas, create some space to journal, pay attention to what you are pulled towards, and welcome whatever else comes up for you. Make it a whole event - light a candle, put on your favorite music, make a fun beverage (whatever that means to you), and see where your reflections take you.
If you’re interested in self-improvement but find yourself uncertain about the year ahead, consider setting intentions instead of, or in addition to, resolutions. Whatever you choose to do, all of us from Nashville Collaborative Counseling Center wish you the happiest, healthiest 2024 - one that’s filled with joy, growth, and peace.