So, it’s finally a new year. An opportunity for change, an chance for growth, a fresh start. I mean, in reality, you could pick literally any day for a fresh start, but the new year is nice because everyone is solemnly vowing to go to a spin class 4-5 days a week and eat lots of lettuce and cut out wine, so you have the support and comradery of those around you. However, as we all know, those resolutions tend to dwindle out by mid-February or March, leaving us feeling slightly discouraged, but sooner than later we get caught up in our busy lives and forget we even made them.
Well, kids, that’s why I’m here. To help you set reasonable resolutions, which I like to call intentions. After all, a resolution is “a firm decision to do or not to do something.” Kinda absolute and limiting, if you ask me. On the other hand, an intention is “a thing intended; an aim or plan.” To me, this is much gentler, much less intense, and suggests less severity. In other words, it takes the pressure off a little. By setting intentions, you are placing something within reach; it is attainable and possible, but you’re not going to be an utter failure if it doesn’t completely come to fruition.
I have five intentions for 2019 (and I go more in depth in my recent blog post): to travel, to rid my life of toxicity, to say yes more, to blog more, and to be kind (I set this one pretty much every year, but it’s always good to give yourself a reminder!). For me, these are all things that I feel I can actually be successful at. I already have multiple trips planned in the coming months, so I can already put a check mark by traveling. Ridding my life of toxicity is always an ongoing process, but it is something that I can constantly be aware of when forming new relationships. Saying yes more definitely takes some thought, but I added it to my list because I felt it would open a lot of doors in my life. Blogging more simply takes a little more effort on my part every week. And being kind, in my opinion, should always just be a given!
Intentions should be things that you can really, truly see yourself doing, and not just until February. Things that you can implement in your life for the long haul, and that will ultimately better your quality of life, and you as a person. Pick things that you really want to improve or do, and make yourself do them! In reality though, it helps if these things are actually obtainable. Don’t make a resolution to go to the gym for two hours every day if you know you don’t have the time for that, or not buy meals out for the entire year if you know that there’s probably at least a handful of nights when you’ll be too busy to make dinner, or maybe a couple of days when you forget your lunch. Instead, set an intention to go to the gym 3-5 days a week, or to cut back on buying meals, and instead, treat yourself once a month! These things are still along the same lines, but they’re so much more reasonable.
If you put your intentions out into the universe, manifestation will come (helloooooo law of attraction!). It could be one thing, or it could be ten, all that matters is that you set them, and that you put effort into it! Happy intention-setting, and happy 2019!