Don’t Set a New Year’s Resolution this Year!

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Instead of making a New Year’s resolution, of which 80% are abandoned by February, and only 8% of people achieve their goals, save yourself the disappointment and self-judgement and set a New Year’s intentions. An anti-resolution!

new year's intention

Stress Destroys Your New Year’s Resolution

Google the word “resolution” and you’ll find it means “a firm decision to do or not to do something.” What’s the first thing that happens when you make a decision to do or not do something? You are challenged. For example, a mom may set her New Year’s resolution to “eat healthy,” but the baby keeps her up all night, the kids fight, or she forgets to pack food for the day. Life is stressful and it’s the bag of chips or candy that makes life a little more bearable, helps you through the day, and is easiest to eat when you don’t have the time or energy to “eat healthy.”

Even with the best of intentions, setting a New Year’s resolution about something you want to do or avoid is only the tip of the iceberg to sustain positive change in your life. Why? Because resolutions don’t honor the real-life stress you face.

Set Your Holistic New Year’s Intention

The definition of “intention” is “an aim or plan; the healing process of a wound.” Setting a New Year’s intention is more holistic than a New Year’s resolution because it honors your aims, goals, and plans in life – as well as the healing journey of being a mom today.

Here Are 5 Ways to Make the Most of Your New Year’s Intentions:

#1 Declare Your 2019 Feeling

As a mom, you’re always reinventing yourself. Plus, it’s easy to lose your identity and sense of self in caring for your children. A New Year’s resolution focuses exclusively on behavior, while a New Year’s intention focuses on how you want to feel. Take a moment of quiet, even thirty seconds, and ask yourself, “how do I want to feel in 2019?” Try to turn off your brain, and see what your heart, gut, and intuition tell you.

#2 Become One with Your 2019 Feeling:

Each day, repeat a few times to yourself how you want to feel. Maybe it’s happy, fulfilled, calm, present, or productive. Really sink into that feeling. Breathe in the word and make it your own. Notice how the emotion feels in your body and what thoughts come to mind. By becoming one with your 2019 feeling, your brain creates a positive pattern, a neural pathway or groove, to bring that feeling alive in real life. Have fun owning your feeling and becoming one with it.

#3 Find Your Number One Habit:

Stay in that intuitive place and continue repeating how you want to feel. Now ask yourself, “what’s the number one thing I could do to sustain that feeling?” This is the specific habit you’re going to set as a goal to sustain your New Year’s intention. Your number one thing is similar to a New Year’s resolution; it’s the simplest task or habit you can do in your life to bring the biggest impact in sustaining how you want to feel in 2019.

#4 Honor Challenges and Let Go:

What are the challenges you’ll face in repeating this habit on a regular basis? What current habits will you let go of to make room for the new? A New Year’s resolution doesn’t take into account your challenges and stress! A New Year’s intention honors the obstacles along the way to sustain your 2019 feeling and your number one thing.

Your New Year’s Intention Formula

In 2019, I want to feel _______(Insert your 2019 feeling). So I will _______(Insert your #1 habit), let go of_______(Insert old habit), and honor these challenges ______(Insert your stress and challenges). Compassion for myself is key to _________ (Insert how to sustain your New Year’s intention).

Example: “In 2019, I want to feel healthy. So I will pack my own high protein snacks, let go of the comfort of sugar, and honor the challenges of not having the energy to care for myself when I feel stressed and overwhelmed. Compassion for myself is the key to feeling healthy this year.

Adopt the mindset of self-compassion, embrace challenges and set-backs as part of the process, and stay connected to how you want to feel this year. Throw your New Year’s resolution out the window and enjoy the journey of bringing healing and positive change to your life in 2019 with setting a New Year’s intention. All the best for a happy start to 2019!