Setting New Year’s Intentions Instead of Resolutions
Establishing a resolution or goal to achieve in a year can be daunting. The pass-fail limits can make you feel boxed in, especially if you struggle to stick with a goal. Setting an intention is a comparable alternative to a New Year’s resolution.
The Difference Between Intentions and Resolutions
An intention is based on your values, whereas resolutions are centered around something you hope to achieve. Goals are external pursuits that are specific and measurable. Setting an intention helps you focus on the present and can be put into practice daily.
Intentions also serve as a baseline to refer to throughout the year so you can adjust as necessary. They make room for the unexpected and aren’t limited by the rigidity of a goal.
Some examples of intentions include promoting personal growth or emotional wellness, strengthening relationships and improving your health. They are ideas with an overarching theme of betterment.
Tips for Setting Intentions for the New Year
It’s important to ask yourself questions about your values.
Consider the following:
- What thoughts, feelings and aspirations are important to you?
- What improvements can be made in your daily life that would promote happiness?
- What are the basic motivations behind some of your goals or resolutions?
When you evaluate the “why” of your long-term aspirations, you’ll understand your true motivations and find ways to implement your intentions each day.
These tips can help you get started:
Make room: Clear your physical space to eliminate distractions while setting intentions.
Find some quiet: Take time alone to write down your short- and long-term goals and review the intention behind each of them.
Create doable intentions: Develop a plan to enact your intentions and review them after a short period to see if they need adjusting or no longer fit your values.
Push yourself: An intention should present a challenge to allow for personal growth. Find something that gets you out of your mental or physical comfort zone.
Make it memorable: Use a word or phrase to encompass your intention for the new year. It should be short enough to fit on a sticky note and easily referenced.
Give your intention a ritual: Establishing a routine to check in with your intention will help your brain register change and create a new habit. Reflect on your intention in a specific space, play music or light a candle to get yourself in the mindset to evaluate how you’ve implemented your intention.
Enjoying your living space is one intention to set for the new year. Ardent Communities has living communities in Columbus, Ohio, with luxury amenities and features. Connect with us online to learn about our apartments and townhomes.
