Conscious Tool Kit: Setting Intentions For The New Year
Greetings Conscious Inkers!
The new year is upon us and with a new year comes a renewed sense of possibility. Why not welcome the new year with clear intentions? Ultimately, a new year's resolution is birthed from an intention to expand into a more preferred version of ourselves--whether that involves getting into shape or getting rid of old habits that no longer serve us.
I view intentions as the tour guides that work to set us in the right direction and create the overall experience we are hoping for. Here are a few guidelines for setting intentions that are clear and effective in their ability to guide us toward the destination we wish to land on.
Intention Setting As A Road Map For Success
Begin by picturing a GPS map of your life, marked with where you currently are at the moment, the route outlined on the screen and the destination that you want to arrive at in the near future. Now ask yourself the following questions:
1. Where am I now?
In order to arrive upon your desired destination, you need to first have knowledge of the starting point--that is where you are today in parallel with where you want to go. What is working well for you? What would you like to change? What are the consequences of staying put where you are? Grab a notebook and answer these questions for yourself.
2. Where am I headed?
Habit loops are creating our lives whether we are aware of them or not. Take a close look at the current habits you have and the results they are giving you. Ask yourself: If I continue to do this regularly, where will this habit lead me in the next year? If these habits aren't serving you, they will need to be swapped out with habits that will help propel you towards your desired destination.
3. Where would I like to go?
Now that you have a good idea of your current whereabouts and the habits that are driving your results, it's a good time to evaluate where it is that you actually want to go. It's important to feel into this answer rather than letting the mind take the lead. Our minds can be rational to a fault. Leading with the mind can lead us to ignore the higher call of the heart, which ultimately knows what it is we really want--not what we think we should want or what we feel we need to do in order to feel like worthy, lovable humans.
4. What are the habits that will put me on track towards my desired destination?
As mentioned earlier, habits are major proponents in the process of creating lives that we love to live. We become what we repeatedly do. If we wish to land on our desired destination (or if not our initial desired destination, someplace better), then we need to put in place a system of habits that will lead us in the right direction. Think of these habits as the series of micro-actions that gradually pull you towards your destination, like the consistent turning of the tires on a car.
When put into action, these four questions can serve as powerful stepping stones into a bright new year.
Wishing you all a wonderful New Year!
Amanda Brown