Honestly, who else is OVER setting New Year’s ‘resolutions’? Has anyone ever felt completely lackluster about intention-setting? Maybe feeling like you ‘have to’ because that’s one of the main topics of this time of year? It seems like many folks are keen to ask if you have set any goals, but has anyone ever followed up with you to see if you are following through on them?
It is easy to get caught up in the idea of setting a ‘resolution’ for the New Year. However, we often set resolutions that are based on not feeling worthy enough in one or multiple area(s) of our lives. The discipline it takes to actualize intentions is often challenging and it is easy to get distracted. Most of us know the hangover that comes from feeling like a failure after we don’t follow through on our resolution, and how that minimizes any ‘success’ we may have felt.
I like to simplify this process by choosing one word that will be my ‘word’ for the new year. We all have goals we would like to accomplish – but if I make my life about the goals and not about how I want to feel, I end up chasing life instead of distilling a feeling and allowing that to navigate my year. This practice was introduced by a friend of mine, who references back to her word all year long. She can pull up the words she’s used in years past and speak to the experience each word has brought to – it’s absolutely wonderful it is to listen to her digest each year with such simplicity.
If you choose this route, I recommend sharing your intention with a friend or two. Find someone to keep you accountable by occasionally asking how your word applied to any situation in your life. You can also keep yourself accountable, by checking in to see if that word accurately describes how you’re responding to life in any given situation. For example, if your word is ‘kind’, check in when you are interacting with yourself or others to see if you are allowing that kindness to flow through you.
This year’s word for me is ‘playful’: I am learning to be more playful in all areas of my life and to connect to my inner child. I am tempted to get caught in the role of being ‘adult’ and all the responsibilities in my life. It is not that I am going to disengage from my responsibility it is that I am going to allow an air of playfulness to ring through in all that I do, allowing spontaneity and unplanned playfulness. The beautiful thing about having ‘one word’ is that the word will evolve and take on new meaning as the year progresses.
What’s your word for this year?
Love
Noelle
psssst The $150 discount for the Mexico retreat Feb 22-29, 2020 ends Dec 31st, 2019!
Also my book is now available in stores, you can find it in Balu Yoga & Wellness, Grizzly Books (in Revelstoke) AND on Indigo.ca or Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com
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