Intentions and Resolutions

Have you ever made a New Year's Resolution with genuine determination of keeping it 'this time'?

This year will be different....this year I will follow through and actually....exercise/ get healthy/ be on facebook less/ drink less/ spend more time with family....and the list goes on!

Me too!!

I spent so many years making the same resolutions over and over again until I eventually just decided to stop making them a few years ago! 

I don't know about you...but I was always motivated for a few days or a couple of weeks and usually by the time the end of January came...I was trying hard not to feel guilty about the fact that I had let myself down and not followed through once again!

So I am BANNING the RESOLUTIONS!!!

This year I am setting INTENTIONS instead!

What is the difference?

Resolutions always carry with them a sense of obligation and 'should do' attitude. Which is why most people have difficulty sticking to them. Anytime we tell ourselves we 'should' do something, we are up for a challenge! We ALL know the stuff we should be doing! Ask any person around you about what they 'should' be doing to be healthier or to save more money and they will be able to list off at least a handful of ideas for you!

Intentions carry with them the power to create our own change in a way that allows us to enjoy life with the changes and not feel guilty! 

With intentions - we 'GET TO' instead of 'should'. Changing one word changes the game completely!

The beautiful thing about intentions is - rather than feeling the guilt for not following through some days (as with a resolution), you get to say:

At the end of the day, I am a good person. I am not perfect by any standard but my heart and intentions are good and I am worth it and I am enough.

*  Failure is not the opposite of success. It is a part of it.

I used to say I was 'an all or nothing' kind of girl. Things had to be perfect or it just wasn't going to happen and I struggled to continue with whatever I was working on. This, I eventually learned, was not productive for me in any way! Because if I was all in, going hard to achieve a resolution because that's what I was 'supposed' to do and then I had a 'bad' day? I was done. I thought I had failed and that was that - there was no point in continuing to try. Crazy thinking, right? 

Does anyone else do this?

Eventually, I learnt that it was ok to have a day that wasn't perfect and that I didn't have to feel guilty about it! Do you know how freeing that was? I have spent a good part of my 43 years beating myself up when I didn't think things were perfect!

My advice is to embrace the failures, the bad days, the suck, the parts of your days where you completely lose it and wonder why you even started! Because it will only last for a moment and then you get to get up and keep moving forward!

* Just do more of what makes you happy.

Whatever it is that makes your heart sing, whatever it is that makes you smile, whatever it is that makes you laugh until you cry, whatever it is that makes you feel content and at peace and joyful....

GO AND DO MORE OF THAT!!!

We can make all the resolutions we want but if we are not having fun doing them - why would you keep doing it? 

 HOW TO MAKE NY INTENTIONS STICK!

* Intentions are great but still require daily action. 

* Choose and focus on what you are going to do each day to move your body/ your family/ your finances/ your health/ your contribution towards the intention that you set.

* You won't always get it right every day

* At the end of each day, reflect and measure how your effort was today.

* Write your intentions down - DAILY - with pen and paper. Grab a notebook. The more you write the more it sticks.

* Share it with people - with everyone! People will encourage you along the way!

* Find someone who is doing it better than you and ask for help for guidance or direction or feedback.

* Whatever you want to do - schedule it into your day. If you do not make time for it, it just won't happen! Trust me!

* Do it for yourself. No one else. No event coming up - like a holiday or a party. Just for you. 

* Remember it's ok if you veer off track a little. Life happens. Just remember you are on the right path and jump back on again. 

* Every day is a new day to make your intentions clear to yourself and the world around you.

 What intentions are you going to set for yourself this new year?

 What intentions will you set as a family?

 Do you want to be more patient? More present? More kind?

 Do you want to read more books this year?

 Do you want to eat more veggies?

 What will you let go of?

 What will you share with others?

 Will you learn a new skill or craft?

 I would love to hear about what yours are! Whatever they are - have fun working towards them!

As for me - my intentions are to be as healthy as I can possibly be and to make as big an impact on little humans, parents and teachers as I possibly can! To share the love of bringing the joy and being more present with my friends and family.

Make this year a year of finding, of fulfilment, of joy, peace and purpose.

Wishing you all the most incredible and joyful new year and a conscious and impacting 2018!

Thank you for being a part of the journey in 2017!

Until next year...have a conscious and mindful week!

Clarissa xo