New Year, Fresh Perspective

Happy New Year, friends! Fresh starts, new beginnings, and what else? Wait for it… New Year’s resolutions! Every January, we dust off this annual tradition with high hopes and maybe a teensy bit of dread. And by mid-February, we often use it as another reason to beat ourselves up. Let’s take a closer look at how this whole resolution thing works, how it doesn’t, and how we might flip the script so it actually helps rather than harms.

For most of us, resolutions are framed as short-term goals. They are often based on behaviors we think we should or should not be doing. You know the list: exercise more, eat better, spend less, meditate more, etc. The problem is that we spend eleven months doing the opposite, fully aware that our habits are not serving us. Then we expect a dramatic personality overhaul on January first. That’s not discipline; that’s magical thinking.

Goals themselves are not the villain here, but the mindset around them often is. When we set a goal, especially a New Year’s resolution, we tend to use a pass-or-fail mentality. Either we stick to it perfectly or we completely blow it. And once we mess up, even just a little, the whole thing collapses. But these old habits are deeply wired for a reason. They are familiar, efficient, and comfortable. Even if we manage to muscle our way into change for a few weeks, those habits are usually waiting patiently in the wings.

This is where intentions, which are wildly underrated, come in to flip our perspective and save us from self-flagellation. 

An intention is not about winning or losing. It is about direction. An intention sets a long-term orientation for your life, much like a compass rather than a checklist. It asks a different question. Instead of “Did I succeed today?” it asks “Which way am I facing?” That shift alone can be revolutionary.

When you live from an intention, detours are expected. You do not fail when you veer off course. You simply notice, recalibrate, and gently steer yourself back on that intention highway. And we do this without the drama or shame. You haven’t “failed”, and there’s no need to start from scratch every Monday. Your intention is patient and waits for you to remember it.

From a philosophical perspective in yoga, this aligns with the idea of abhyasa: consistent practice over time. So there’s no need for perfection or a heroic practice. Just showing up again and again with sincerity. Intention supports that kind of relationship with ourselves and allows growth without violence (ahimsa).

So instead of resolving never to do the thing you secretly love doing but feel bad about, set an intention to cultivate steadiness, or clarity, or kindness toward your body. Instead of vowing to become a different person by February, orient yourself toward living with a little more awareness and choice.

In other words, this year, you are allowed to take the scenic route! You are allowed to pause, wander, and course correct as many times as needed. The path doesn’t disappear just because you step off it for a while. Set an intention and let it guide you, trusting that showing up imperfectly still counts as showing up.

Here’s to a new year that feels supportive, spacious, and rooted in self-compassion.

Jai Bhagwan,

Kristine