Setting Intentions for The New Year

A few year back, I wrote a blog post about claiming a word for your year. Unlike previous resolutions, this is a practice that I’ve maintained! But beyond my success rate, this tradition has surprised me in its impact. It’s even a practice that others have adopted & adapted for themselves. Beyond surface goals around weight or health, claiming a word or phrase for your year is a discipline of setting and honoring intentions. I’ve noticed this practice has anchored me and kept me mindful in a way other goals or resolutions have fallen short.

My intentions for the year have varied, some more weighty (i.e. my year of Hope Fulfilled) and some more practice (i.e. my year of Simplicity & Secondhand). I’ve made a practice of writing my intention for the year on a chalkboard that hangs in my kitchen. This daily reminder of my commitment is especially helpful on weeks I fall short of honoring it, serving as a gentle invitation to return to i.

Perhaps your intention for the year is something practical - like focusing on homemade or reducing waste. Perhaps your intention is focused more on character or spiritual development - like the year of patience or kindness towards yourself.

As you look forward to what you anticipate 2020 will hold, both joyful & challenging, notice how your intention may guide your approach. Imagine how you would like to feel about how you thought, felt, and behaved as you close the chapter of 2020 in a year’s time. How could my intention of _____ guide how I approach ____ situation?

How will you name your 2020?