The start of a new year is a great time to set intentions for ourselves in our lives. Throughout the year it is easy to get caught up in all the things we need to do, the routine of life, and staying stuck in habits that may not serve us. An annual tradition for my husband and I on New Years Eve is to tell each other what we are grateful for from the previous year. Then on New Years Day, we write down our intentions and goals for the new year. I enjoy writing them down so then I have them on paper to read and reflect upon throughout the year. If you are not sure where to begin to set your intentions, here are some ideas to get you started.
Take time to reflect and write
Reflection is easily something you can do alone and on your own time. Create a peaceful space with no distractions and take some quiet time. You could start by asking yourself questions about yourself and your values. Conversations can help reveal a lot about ourselves, too. It may be fun to gather a virtual group and share the growth and struggles of this past year. Either way, make sure to write down some thoughts. Writing expressively about thoughts and feelings can help with happiness and coping. It can also help us make sense of our thoughts.
Start with the why
Intentions aren’t about the action plan—they’re the values and desires behind the plan. Intentions can work without goals; goals are much harder to achieve without intentions behind them. Without the why, resolutions and goals can feel empty or start out of guilt or comparison. While intentions can serve as the foundation for goals and resolutions, they’re also free of any timelines, numbers, or measurable results. The goal might be to cook one new meal a week, but the intention or value behind it would sound like nurture creativity or take care of my health.
Make it clear, memorable, and repeatable
Once you’ve gotten clear on how you want to live out this next year, it may help to have a short phrase or one word to sum it up. Whether the words are centered around health, relationships, or personal growth, it’s important that they’re memorable and inspirational l for you. One good rule of thumb could be that if it doesn’t fit on a sticky note, it won’t be easy to remember and repeat. To help remind yourself of your intention, you could draw or write notes and put them around your home—and then make sure to move them around every so often to keep them noticeable.
Give yourself an intention ritual
Rituals are little ceremonies and can look like many different things:
- burning a candle or sage
- making art
- playing music
- going to a special location and saying your intention aloud
Rituals certainly aren’t necessary, but they symbolize transitions and can help the brain register that something new is happening. Rituals can be as creative, quiet, or adventurous. Whatever you want this next year, or even the next few months, intentions can help you set a path to get there and stay on it when plans go awry.