A new year is a great opportunity to reflect on your growth of the previous year. It’s a good time to review what you’ve learned and how you’ve grown through the inevitable challenges life presents. Growth can be painful—but it brings with it proof of our resilience. Looking back over the last 12 months, be grateful for the challenges you’ve been handed. It is in these obstacles that we learn to conquer, discovering the courage it takes to align ourselves with what we truly seek.

Intentions Vs. Resolutions
The main difference between intentions and resolutions is in their breadth and specificity. While resolutions tend to be singular things you can check off on your to-do list or track — “I’m going to drink more water” or “I’m going to spend more quality time with my kids on the weekends” — intentions are broader — “I’m focusing on my health”; “I’m prioritizing my family”; or even “health” and “family.” Intentions can encompass multiple areas of your life, rather than zoom in on one piece, like resolutions. For example, you may set the intention to be more creative, which can apply to your work, your spirituality, your family, and your relationships, but a resolution to take on a new creative project at work only applies to one setting.

Why set Intentions?

• Intentions also give us room to discover what really works for us.
• You have more freedom to experiment and find what actually feels good for you
• Intentions, unlike resolutions, are broader and encompass multiple areas of life.
• Setting intentions helps you discover and build habits you enjoy.
• Reflecting on your intentions and sharing them with others helps you to ground yourself and stick with them.

How To Set an Intention?
Listen to that inner voice.
Connect with the elements of your life that are most significant to you and bring you the greatest joy, satisfaction, and energy. What gives you passion and fills you with a sense of purpose?

Find what brings you joy.
The law of attraction states that by focusing on the things that bring you joy, you’ll bring more positive experiences into your life so give it a try! Get out a notepad and write down the things you’re passionate about. What brings you happiness and gives you purpose?

Make a list- Get support!
Make a list and share it with a close friend who is supportive and can hold you accountable to take action. Do something today to help you demonstrate your commitment to your intention.

Create a word or a short phrase that sums up your intentions.
Last year, my words were compassion and expansion. These words became my mantra and helped me to stay open and expand my vision. I meditated on these phrases so my brain was able to integrate them into my actions. When I look back, they did help me to stay open and follow my heart, especially when fear and doubt were creeping in.

Create a vision board.
A good visual never hurt anyone. One of my intentions was to be more patient, but I knew I was going to be tested, says Hyman. So she created a board with clippings of words, phrases, and images that served as reminders of the long-term rewards of staying true to her mantra every time she felt her patience waning. Tip: Make sure to keep your vision board somewhere you can easily see it every day.

Trust the process
Trust that there is a power greater than you to orchestrate the complete fulfillment of your intentions. Don’t listen to the voice that says that you have to be in charge, that obsessive vigilance is the only way to get anything done. If you force the outcome, it may not be as good for you as the one that comes naturally.

Let it go!
Say your mantra each day when you wake up…and then let it go. You’ve planted the seed now don’t think too much about it! For things to manifest, we cant hold on too tight

Goodluck for your powerful intention planning as you begin this amazing year. Stay focused and beleive that you deserve all the good things in your life.
Namaste!