It’s a common refrain.

Make New Year’s Resolutions

Make your goals smart…

It takes at least 21 days to form a habit.

Who has set SMART goals/resolutions for 21 days and then stopped at day 25, 26, 27, and slowly lost the habit?

Hand-raised

Next come the self-deprecating thoughts and low self-esteem, along with a lot of self-loathing.

This was my routine for many years. This was my pattern for years. I would set a SMART goal, then get grouchy for the first three weeks. Then I would slowly fall back into old patterns and self-limiting beliefs. If I achieved a goal, such as running a race, I would fall back into old patterns and not run again once I was done.

Do you feel the same?

Did you ever try to make a New Year’s Resolution but fail?

It is best to give up within a few days or weeks of starting it.

You don’t need to set any goals or resolutions.

Perhaps you’ve tried setting goals in the past but failed to achieve them. This can leave you feeling disappointed and discouraged when you try to set new goals.

This is a good reminder that not everyone will be able to keep their New Year’s Resolutions. Research shows that between 80-90% of people have difficulty making and keeping them.

We can only learn one thing from 2022: we must start doing things differently.

It’s not something I know, but it is concerning that 80-90% of people have difficulty setting and maintaining life goals ….. Something needs to change.

Let’s eliminate the stereotypical New Year Resolutions this year and make 2023 a better year.

Instead, let’s focus on what really matters.

Let’s start getting INTENTIONAL.

How to be more present and allied in 2023?

With the awareness of how uncertain our lives can be, it is easy to feel lost, overwhelmed, and uneasy as we enter another year.

2023 will continue to be a challenging year for us emotionally and mentally. It is important to look inwards.

Focusing on what you can control is one way to prepare for the unexpected.

What are you going to do with your life?

You can start living a more conscious, intentional, and emotionally balanced life by taking the time to set your intentions.

It is possible to be more intentional when you are clear about what matters in your life. It is like driving around in your car telling Google Maps where you want to go, but without a clear direction. You never know where you’ll end up. This option is fun at times, but it’s not the best way to live your life.

If you’re interested in living an intentional lifestyle in 2021 that is focused on your holistic wellbeing – and don’t know where to begin or how to keep it going – then you need to learn to set goals for your life and create a vision.

5 STEPS TO CREATE INTENTIONS NOW FOR YOUR YEAR

Reconnect

Awareness is the first step to making any changes. Awareness is the first step to making any change. Clarity comes with it. Reflect on the past year. Ask yourself what was good and what is important. This is an essential part of the process. Before we can move on, we need to be aware of what we are willing to let go. Ask yourself, What lessons are you looking to learn in 2023? What are you willing to let go in 2023?

Select a theme for the year

You can choose a theme or focus that will guide you throughout the year.

The theme is like a North Star that guides you to your ultimate goals. This theme allows you to find happiness and peace in the moment while still aligning for your future. It focuses on who you are, rather than what you can achieve. A single word or phrase.

Concentrate on your IDENTITIES

Instead of focusing on the AREAS in your life that you want to create intentions around, focus on YOUR IDENTITIES. Neuroscience has repeatedly shown the importance of aligning your desires with the Identity you desire to be. Consider the identities you currently hold, such as student, spouse, parent, entrepreneur, etc. and then think about HOW you want that identity to look. What kind of PERSON are you looking to become? A more conscious parent/spouse/friend? Someone who is more emotionally balanced and places self-care and self-love first?

Focusing on your identity allows you to make conscious and subconscious changes based on how your present moment is. Rather than getting down on yourself because you didn’t meet a certain deadline or throwing in the towel on your goals, you can focus on your identity.

Create Actions to Align

You can set yourself up to take intentional actions for each identity. This will help you as you strive to be your best self. These actions do not have to be framed in SMART goals but GUIDING PRINCIPLE which will help you live your dream life. You can make small, sustainable and achievable changes every day to become the person you want to be. What are some ways to be more present as a friend, mother, spouse or spouse? It could look like you are conscious of putting your phone down while talking, or it might be like honoring the feelings of another person, or it could look like you bite your tongue before expressing hurt feelings.

Review and Re-Align

It is crucial to evaluate your intentions over the next few months. Let’s face it, life is hectic and it’s easy to slip back into old patterns and beliefs. You can keep your eyes open to the person you want each day by reviewing your annual intentions and reflecting upon them every month.

You can do this in many ways: you can write your intentions in a self-growth journal, and then review them regularly; create a vision board or cue cards with your intentions and keep them at your bedside. You want to write your intentions in OLD FASHION pen to paper and place them where you will see.