[Zoom Meeting] OCPD & Setting New Intentions 🌱

Setting New Year’s Resolutions Intentions

A few years ago I made the switch from setting “New Year’s Resolutions” to “Setting Intentions” and I’m pretty sure I’m never going back! While it might seem like just semantics at first, the biggest difference I’ve experienced is how much kinder I am with myself when I think about my intentions versus the resolutions or goals I used to set for myself. Here’s an article I found that summarizes much better than I can.

The difference between resolutions and intentions

A resolution is like a goal ‒ for example, someone might state that they want to lose weight or get a new job. Resolutions are a firm decision to do or not to do something. They’re strict, with no wiggle room. You either stick to them or fail, which is why most of our resolutions are distant memories by February.

An intention is a practice that requires us to be present rather than stuck in the past or too focused on the future. It’s something you aim for, an idea or concept you mean to carry out or embody. Intentions are open-ended and relatively vague, allowing more room and grace for growth.

Simply put, intentions define the actions we take today, while goals and resolutions are future focused. These concepts are great in theory but cause significant stress, especially when we “fail” to achieve what we’ve set out to do.

https://www.integrativenutrition.com/blog/intentions-versus-resolutions-shift-your-mindset-in-new-year

One of the great aspects about intentions is that they bring our awareness into the present moment where we actually have the most agency. They help guide our everyday decision making and can me so much more compassionate than unrealistic goals. If understood correctly, I’m not sure it’s even possible to set unrealistic intentions (I’m sure someone out there is excited to prove me wrong though!).

I would say the hardest part about intention setting is taking the time to sort out what our true, honest priorities are for our life. What are the virtues or values that we ultimately want to guide us?

If you’re struggling to come up with your highest values, this list might help jumpstart your reflection process.

https://brenebrown.com/resources/dare-to-lead-list-of-values/

And if you’re looking for even more insight into the differences, here’s another great link that I find myself referencing annually.

https://bulletjournal.com/blogs/bulletjournalist/resolutions_vs_intentions

Pre-meeting Exercise:

• If you don’t have a handful of values that help guide your life direction, you can spend some time looking over the list provided and see which ones stand out to you.
• If you have a general sense of your values, you can brainstorm about intentions that might bring your everyday lived experience into greater alignment with your values.
• If you’ve generated some intentions, you can reflect on the ideas that came to mind and how they feel in your body. Do they feel self-compassionate and elicit peace and calm or possibly feel overwhelming, stifling, and stress-inducing?
• And finally, if you feel comfortable sharing with the group, you’re invited to bring your intention(s) to the group time.