BY LISA MARIE BASILE
I’ve always responded poorly to “resolutions.” To me, change is always best when it’s gradual and backed up by deep emotional reasoning rather than, “well, it’s a new year. I better overhaul something.” Also, I’m a rebel and a known self-sabotager, so if you’re like me, that approach probably feels too authoritarian and unnatural.
So I decided instead to set several small intentions — all of which will add to a vision. They’re not hard or fast or misaligned with my ethics or values; rather, they’re small ideas that I can add to my each and every day.
My intentions for this year is to spend at least a portion of each day on stress management or self-care (this is naturally open-ended) and to recalibrate my health behaviors around food and alcohol (again, no hard or fast rules; rather, the intention is to be aware and to make changes). So, every day I ask myself: Why am I doing this? What is the emotional connection for me?
I did this because being a writer, editor, author, and freelancer is hard when I am managing a chronic illness and a relationship. I did this because in all of that I’ve lost myself a bit and, along the way, I lost a sense of healthfulness.
So, from me to you, here are the guidelines I keep in mind when setting and managing intentions.
What are your intentions for the year ahead? Below, a downloadable infographic to use and keep on your end.
determine your intention
rather than call for some wild resolution that feels aggressive or misaligned with your everyday reality, decide on one or two realistic but sacred intentions you'd like to conjure for the year ahead or the weeks ahead.
determine how you will nourish your intention each day
what is one small thing you can do each and every day — even for 10 minutes — that will build toward your intention? when (and how) will you build it in — and why is it important that you do so? Let its meaning and sacredness lead you.
find magic in the process, not the end goal
So many resolutions/goals/intentions are not met because we desire instant gratification or we shy away from the challenge. How can we enjoy each day's Work — and its small, maybe-not-obvious impact on our overall vision?
create ritual around your intention
living, working, managing illness or kids or anything else we do makes anything "extra" feel burdensome. But when we build our intention into daily rituals, it becomes part of our lives. Morning coffee can become a time for your daily intentional behavior, for example. Think small, think holy. When you settle into these rituals, think of each behavior as a step in the conjure process. It's up to you to determine what each step means.
pull a tarot card when you're stuck
We lose ourselves in the darkness of ourselves. We sometimes fall into places of failure and fear and shame — and it's only natural. When this happens — when your intention becomes blurry and forgotten, pull a card. Journal on its message and how it relates to your goal or vision. Sometimes we need to reframe an issue or divine a message in order to recalibrate and start again. There's nothing wrong with starting again.
