What was your New Year’s resolution?
Without fail, as each year ends, we reflect on our lives and many of us set goals for the upcoming year (some of us even reach these goals!).
But are goals what we should really be setting?
In my final yoga class of 2019 – a beautiful yin class led by our very own Martha Atkins – I was led to consider whether all this goal-chasing was really the way to go about living as the best versions of ourselves.
Goals vs. Intentions
Martha brought up the concept of goals, using plants as an example. Perhaps we wish to grow plants – this is our goal. We visualize great big thriving plants full of luscious green leaves and vibrant life.
But, WAIT.
This isn’t going to just happen overnight. Unless we tend the soil, plant the seeds, and nurture our plants with water, sunshine, weeding, and love, this goal cannot come to fruition. It takes setting intentions to achieve our goal. The intentions are the work – the labour of love. The goal is the outcome; the reward as a result of all our daily progress.
Are we focusing on the right things?
In a world where we measure our successes in tangible results and celebrate when milestones are achieved, are we missing the point?
What if we set intentions instead and honoured our commitment to those daily practices?
If we set intentions to nourish our bodies with plenty of good food, exercise, and rest, what would that look like? If we took a moment each day to consider what we are grateful for, or tidied up items as we finished with them, what greater impact would this contribute to our overall lives?
Personally, I think this would assist us in reaching our goals without the stresses and comparisons we often fall into.
Intention-minded
Maybe we would see greater results if we were more mindful of the work it takes to get there. If we took careful notice of our journey and the smaller steps, we would celebrate our joy in the life we are currently living, rather than the one we are aspiring to have.
Take care to plant your seeds in an area filled with light and love, and provide them the daily nourishment they need, rather than allowing yourself to be caught up in the race to the finish line – the reward is in the work, not the end.
Here’s to a year of good intentions – Happy 2020!
Pillars: Be Healthy/Live to Learn