Kicking New Year’s resolutions to the kerb
Iam the kind of person who always writes New Year’s Resolutions. They usually end up being what you’d expect New Year’s Resolutions to be: lose X number of kilograms, exercise X number of times a week, eat healthier, and generally become a better person.
But this year I’ve done things a bit differently. Instead of promising myself that I’ll become an overachiever (and then failing abysmally), I’ve kicked goals to the kerb and replaced them with intentions.
‘‘Goals . . . intentions . . . aren’t they the same thing?’’ Well, yes and no. Goals are tangible achievements that you either reach or you don’t. You either succeed or you fail. The year I set myself 20 goals was not a good year. No, I did not lose 10kg. Nor did I learn how to reverse a trailer or write a book.
Intentions, on the other hand, are less about hitting a goal and more about developing a lifestyle that makes you happier. Any goals that you have feed into these intentions, which means you have an overall motivation
behind anything that you do and want to achieve.
Intentions ask pertinent questions about the life you want to live. What kind of person do you want to be? What kind of lifestyle do you want to lead? How will you take care of yourself this year? What can you do to step out of your comfort zone?
For example, if you set a goal to go to the gym seven days a week, you won’t achieve it if you only go four times (which in reality is also a great achievement). Rewriting your exercise goal and establishing an intention to live a healthier lifestyle or reduce stress adds more motivation rather than simply a number to hit.
That’s not to say that goals are bad. Intentions can go handin-hand with goals because they add that extra boost. A goal to increase your exercise is great if your intention is to live a healthier and more active lifestyle. If your intention is to reduce stress in your life, you might make a goal to start running, walk twice a week in nature, or start yoga.
Establishing intentions to support your goals helps you become more mindful. It means there’s more purpose behind your goals, so you’re not just hitting a number for the sake of it. You’re more likely to continue practices you implement, too, because they contribute to the overall improvement of your life; you’re not simply crossing off a to-do list. So, what kind of person do you want to be? What kind of lifestyle do you want to lead? How will you take care of yourself this year? What can you do to step out of your comfort zone? Ask yourself these questions this month to set yourself up for the best year yet.