At this time of year most years, we find ourselves musing about the year behind us and wondering where the time went. This year, 2020, most of us are eager to kick the year to the curb and get on with new energy, new adventures and a sense of things returning to normal. While there is no assurance that ‘normal’ will return, at least immediately, we are still faced with a new year and all the opportunity the next twelve months will offer us.

So here we are and don’t you wonder whether of not New Year’s Resolutions are even appropriate any more. I know I do. In fact, many years ago I decided resolutions were meant to be broken so why bother. That does not suggest that I do not think about my life and wonder about what is ahead and what I want. I do. So as this new year launches, I would like to offer you a practice for harnessing your desires and expectations for the upcoming year.

It begins with a bit of a Life Review; not a review designed to pick your life apart and find fault with, rather one that acknowledges the many things you have accomplished (despite circumstances) and acknowledging yourself for your successes whether big or small. I recommend this as there is no point of building your life of the future on your faults. This is a weak foundation. Your accomplishments for a solid place to continue building.

Having completed that, ask yourself what it is you want next in life, career, whatever. Now you may say, I have no idea and if I challenge you and ask you what you don’t want, I bet you will be able to tell me. So, let’s begin there. Make a list of five things you do not want. Example: I do not want any negative, complaining people in my life. Now convert this to a positive: I want to surround myself with uplifting positive people. Finally take this one step further, as if it already is: I am surrounded by uplifting positive people. ‘I AM’ really nails it!

That brings us to setting Intentions. Once you know what you want and convert these to I AM statements, you are entering the field of intentionality. Unlike goals or resolutions, intentions do not have a specific outcome attached to them. They are designed to allow options that you may not be aware of. Following on the example above, I am surrounded by uplifting positive people, notice that you are not identifying who those people are or that you want your current friends to be uplifting and optimistic. What you are creating is an opportunity for new people to enter your life and specifying that, if by chance they are ‘negative nellies’, they need not bother.

Here is another example. A typical New Year’s Resolution usually involves health. For example: I plan to lose 10 lbs., walk 4 times per week for at least 30 minutes, stop eating chocolate before the end of March. If you switch this to an intention you might say, ‘I am attracting perfect health and all the options to support this.’ Here is the difference, you don’t know what the options might be or what perfect health looks like. In the resolutions you limit yourself to physical health. In the intention you leave the possibility open for physical, emotional, or spiritual health.

What’s next? Two additional steps. Having set your intentions, then you need to pay Attention. That means being mindful and being aware of what crosses your path moving forward. What signs are there that your intention is actually happening? Be curious.

Finally, be in No Tension. Sometimes you set intentions and you get answers you may want to resist as they are not what you are expecting. For example, having set intention a few years ago for perfect health, I was offered the opportunity to take an art course. My initial reaction was to say NO yet it was exactly what I needed for my emotional health and creative soul. I said YES.

Life Review – Wants – Intentions – Attention – No Tension. A perfect recipe for the new year. Enjoy the process, don’t hesitate to ask for what you want and have fun!

Happy New Year Everyone!

Your thoughts and strategies are always welcome and if you care to share, you can reach me at betty@roadsigns.ca

Betty Healey