Trade Your Resolutions For Intention

Maybe you’re like me. You made one or more resolutions for the New Year, but by now you’ve stereotypically screwed up. Two weeks in and your gumption failed or real life butted in. I encourage you look at the intention behind the resolution and restate your goals.

The Resolution
This year I decided I wanted to exercise every day. Ideally that means taking a yoga class, or putting in at least 30 minutes on the elliptical. However, I accepted that some days I just wouldn’t get to it. I made myself a deal that a couple times around the block with my dog, or even walking up and down my staircase would have to suffice in a pinch.

Reality Sets In
I did really well for 12 days. Then life intervened. On the way to my daughter’s two- day sporting event in another state I started to worry about my resolution. How would I have time between driving (five hours), meals, and the games to fit in a workout? I started to feel like a failure for falling off my resolution wagon so quickly. Then I got creative and thought of ways to incorporate some activity into my days.

Trading Up To Intention
Watching the games was an opportunity to do a few stretches next to the bleachers. And when I got home, I did my twice-around-the-block even though the dog was still at the boarders. I may not have met my resolution, but my intent remains intact.

Sometimes we use the first failure to justify giving up, but if we look at our efforts for self-improvement as intentions rather than resolutions, we are free to keep moving in the direction of our goals despite setbacks.

The resolution was to exercise every day. Easy to fail. The intention is to create a habit of daily exercise. I’ll use my resolution as a tool, but I don’t have to give up my intention if I mess up. It comes down to valuing the process, even when the results are sketchy at best.