2018 Intention Setting – What do you want your New Year to look like? (blog quickie)

It's time to have a think about how you would like your New Year to pan out. Oftentimes we just go into a New Year with the expectation that it will be different. The truth is that difference only happens, if you create it on purpose.

Now I know that many of us have been sold the whole NY resolution thing. However if you really want to make a change, a resolution won’t cut it. Hmmm, now there is a reason for this and it’s our association with the word and what it means. Last year I made a resolution to read 50 books. I didn’t really tell anyone about it and I also did not achieve it.

This year I set an intention to read 50 books by the end of the year and I achieved this on the 29th October …

Setting an intention works in a different way because it isn’t wired with the same energy as a resolution.

Also I believe that the word goal has this energy too, whatever it is you want to achieve, it is doable. So you might want to paint, write a short story, or take photographs. Life doesn’t have to be about big wild ambitions, it can be about baking an egg less cake stuffed with chocolate, or joining your local gym.

Re: Setting an intention – this is just to decide how you would like your New Year to look. You’re not starting anything; you’re just deciding how you want the year to pan out.

Setting your 2018 intention …

Remember this does not have to be anything special, just an idea of how you would like your year to go. See what my 2017 intention was below. It doesn’t have to be big.

Setting an intention

You can start to have a think about what you might like (don’t write anything down yet :) )
Just before the 23rd it might be a good time to think about what you want to release from your life too. When we release attitudes, stuff that we are holding onto etc, we create space to bring the new in.
23rd to the 31st of December is your intention window. *have a notepad and pen* (Last year I wrote down ‘I had a fantastic year with family and friends.’)
Close your eyes. Calm your breathing down.
Once your eyes are open start writing in present tense, no thinking or planning, just write about how the year has been as if you are writing it on the 31st December 2018.
Write about what the year has been like, as if it's already happened.
Really be colourful, see it, feel it, taste it, touch it and write it all down.
Now write an intention sentence that sets it all, like my one above.
Now fold the paper up and put it in an envelope marked to be opened on the 31st of December 2018.

I can’t promise that it will all happen, however when we set an intention we are more likely to undertake the activity, make the change etc. Also sometimes it will help you to realise what you don’t want to do as much as what you do want to do.

Remember: That when you want a new experience we have to create it. We are the drivers of our life. We can make anything happen, we just need a little confidence, belief, magic and some of that sparkle dust that they say is around at Christmastime. Channel this energy, so you can make it a reality for you.

Doing this will:

Give you hope
Help you make changes
Create optimism and purpose in your New Year.
Give you something to look forward to.

Also if you really want to make it happen – here are a few top tips…

Top Tips

If you have a promise that you want to make to yourself to do a particular action, you could:

Invite someone to join you – you could definitely go to the gym with a mate.
Or put a message up on Facebook, I did this for my 50 books in 2017 challenge.
Tell as many of your friends as you can … It means they will ask. Also what we talk about positively, we tend to achieve.
Create a forfeit – so if x,y,z does not happen I will donate £xx to a charity. Put the money in an envelope and tell your mate/ mother/ brother whoever you trust to hold onto it and if you do not achieve it give the money to your chosen charity.
Work is a great place to mention something like this, because people will love to remind you and keep asking you.

Remember: Sharing what you are doing or doing the activity with a buddy will help you to stay accountable and on task. It’s a strange one, but it really works. The more people know what you are up to, the more people will ask and you’ll want to be able to tell them how well it’s going.

Working with someone else is about checking in, they don’t necessarily have to be involved in what you are doing. However once you mention that you are giving up coffee or planning to leave your job etc your accountability bud will be there. Without any prompting they will ask you about it and remind you. You have 12 months to make it happen.

All the love and luck to you all and all the wishes for a lovely new start. We all deserve to have the life that we want. Go on have a go, start creating it :)