scrap the resolutions. scrap the goals. intentions transcend everything we do; they tap into our being. We wonder why we have a hard time keeping goals. Goals are valuable and important parts of growth and change; however, we don’t often consider what happens when our goals aren’t met. We often tend to turn inwards: blaming ourselves for not being good enough, strong enough, motivated enough - you get it. We set ourselves up for failure by having such high expectations, and the comparative mind runs rampant as we aspire to be someone who we truly are not. We are left disappointed, or we run ourselves so hard that we burn ourselves out. It seems to always be about what we do, and who we are gets lost in the wayside.
This is exactly why setting intentions before goals is of utmost importance. Intentions transcend thoughts and behaviours, and they latch onto our core values and beliefs about ourselves and the world in which we live. Intentions are the lens through which we view the world, and through which we treat ourselves. Intentions may be that of compassion, growth, mindful consumption, acceptance, health - and after the intention set, our goals then grow organically from an intentional way of being.
For 2019, try this:
Replace outside validation with inside validation.
Replace comparison with gratitude.
Replace self-sabotage with mindful awareness.
Replace criticism with compassion.
Replace judgement with curiosity.
Replace goals with intentions.
Stay tuned for my upcoming series of workshops at the Yoga Attic in 2019. Together we will learn more about what it means to live a life of intention!