Happy New Year! I hope that everyone is having a good start to 2020.  I know that as the new year comes in, many people, myself included, think a lot about what they want a new year to look like — what new personal goals we want to achieve, what projects we want to start (and/or finish!), and a slew of ways we hope to make changes in our lives. The problem with resolutions, especially those of the loftier variety, is that they are often difficult to attain and easy to drop. We are so excited for the new year and a new, fresh slate, but in a week or a month, we lose momentum in our resolutions. I remember one year I had resolved to journal on a daily basis…which proved to only last until January 10th. 

In my experience, resolutions are more often than not likely to fizzle out quickly and are an easy setup for self judgment and disappointment. It’s not that resolutions are inherently bad — in fact many can be really positive and well intentioned — but they are often developed from a mental state of non-acceptance. For instance, people often set resolutions to lose weight or save money, stemming from their dissatisfaction with their bodies or their finances. Perhaps they even set a more specific goal, like setting a certain number of pounds they want to lose or a particular amount of money they want to save. These are very specific goals that can be measured, and therefore, if you do not achieve the exact goal you set for yourself, you have “failed”. 

So what is the alternative if you want to commit to making changes this year? 

Instead of resolutions, try setting intentions. Intention setting is more connected to your values and is nonjudgmental in nature. Instead of making a resolution to lose weight, you can set an intention to be more in tune and connected with your body and its signs of hunger, an intention to eat more slowly and mindfully, or an intention to bring more movement and nature into your life (which may include increasing physical activities like hiking or running outdoors). The distinction is, you are cultivating what you want to bring into your life that aligns with your values and strengthens them, rather than forming a rigid discipline you must adhere to and likely can’t maintain. Resolutions are limiting, whereas intention setting is rooted in acceptance and the opportunity for growth. 

If you’ve already set your resolutions for 2020, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect and see if there’s a way to transform that resolution into an intention. I did this myself this year and felt so much more excited and hopeful for my ability to stick with my aspirations of how I want to live my life in the coming year.

Thanks for reading and wishing you all a happy, healthy, and peaceful 2020!