In the New Year, we always see people setting resolutions or goals but not necessarily setting intentions. All three are very different things. Setting intentions is about aligning your mind and body. Setting intentions help with how you want to live, show up in the world, your values, and so forth. Think of setting intentions as your own personal mantra! So while setting goals to lose weight, get stronger, and be more confident is terrific, we want to do that too; setting intentions will help align your WHY in your day-to-day actions. Think of intentions as a purpose that you want to commit to.
This purpose that you want to commit to needs to also be followed by rituals and/or action items that allow you to be in alignment with your intentions. Daily practices you commit to are going to allow you to truly embody how you show up for yourself and those close to you. So after you create your intentions you're going to want to then create some daily rituals that allow you truly manifest how you want to feel.
How to set intentions:
Your intention should be closely tied to your values, your WHY, and what is most important to you in life. Think of an intention as a personal mantra. It should be a clear short statement or word that explains how you want to show up in the world. Here are some questions to ask yourself to help develop your intention:
- What is the most important to you?
- Is there anything you want to let go of?
- When you are the happiest, how do you feel?
- What are you grateful for?
- What are your biggest dreams and desires?
- What lights you up?
A Few Examples:
- I am confident
- I am enough
- If I put my mind to it, I achieve it
- I am filled with energy, every day
How to Practice It:
- Start by quietly saying it to yourself in the morning
- Write it down in your wellness planner daily
- Keep it on a sticky note in your bathroom mirror
How to Create Daily Rituals:
The rituals that you chose to practice daily should really align well with how you want to feel. So make sure to really select choices that epitomize your intention. Unlike goals, rituals are embedded in that mind-body connection and really appreciating one’s self. Being fully present and setting the right environment for your rituals is going to help make sure that you are honoring your intentions.
Some rituals that you may want to consider working towards incorporating in to your day:
- Gratitude Practice
- Journaling
- Meditation
- Grounding/Being Outside in Nature
- Morning or Afternoon Tea (we highly recommend this one!)
- Yoga
- Exercise
- Mindful or Intuitive Eating Practices
- Evening Wind Down Routine
Start small and don’t feel like you need to add all of these types of things into your day at once. Building your rituals so they feel doable and not overwhelming is really important. So start small, and focus on one thing at a time. Once you feel like you have a handle on one area then work towards incorporating another. Select the rituals that you feel help the most with your intention and how you want to show up for yourself!
Cheers to 2023!