Long-term Intentions

Happy New Year friends! Not only a new year, but also a whole new decade! Fresh starts, new beginnings, and what else?? Wait for it….New Year’s Resolutions! So let’s look at this annual tradition, how it works, how it doesn’t work, and how we can flip the whole resolution cycle around and turn it a helpful tool, rather than another reason for self-flagellation! Let’s start by breaking down how we typically look at resolutions. For many of us, we look at our resolutions as short-term goals, ways of improving ourselves through behaviors we “should” be adapting. So, we spend all year engaging in these behaviors that we know we “shouldn’t” be engaging in, and then we expect ourselves to do a complete about-face on New Year’s Day! Silly, right?! This year, why not look at our resolution in terms of a long-term intention rather than a short-term goal? When we have a goal we want to achieve, our mindset tends to be limited to a pass/fail mentality; either we achieve that goal or we don’t. Even if we manage to change our embedded habits long enough to “win”, those old habits are so embedded within us that it’s not long before we’re back into our comfort zone and old behaviors. Here’s where we get to choose differently and think long-term. An intention helps us set a course direction for our life, without attachment, acting more as our long-term divining rod. So even when we’re not able to stay the course, when we encounter detours, instead of failing, our intention helps us get right back on the road. Our intention relieves us of the burden of failure and gets us back on the path to what we know will better our lives. Maybe this year, give yourself permission to take the scenic route! Much Love, Kristine