The start of a new year is the perfect time to establish goals and focus on what you want to achieve in the coming year. According to research, approximately a third of adults aged 30 to 49 make New Year’s resolutions, which typically involve strict schedules and high hopes that are difficult to follow. By the time February rolls around, these resolutions are often long forgotten.
Fortunately, there’s a more powerful strategy for approaching personal growth: Instead of focusing on difficult-to-reach benchmarks, setting intentions is a way to change habits and constantly work on improvement. The following article explains the difference between resolutions and intentions and how intentions offer a better means of achieving mental clarity while reaching your goals.
The Difference Between Resolutions and Setting Intentions
Resolutions and intentions are similar in meaning, so it’s easy to confuse the two. However, it’s important to understand how they differ when you’re on the road to self-discovery:
- Resolutions. These are specific goals that define something you want to fix or change about yourself, such as losing weight or finally writing a book. You either accomplish your resolution or you don’t.
- Intentions. Intentions are guiding principles on how you want to live and feel. They’re usually rooted in your core values and desire to be better. Success isn’t about winning or losing. Intentions guide your daily choices, but they’re flexible.
Why Intentions Foster Sustainable Growth
Only 9% of people who make resolutions succeed. This is because life is unpredictable, making it difficult to stick to strict goals. Intentions, on the other hand, require a personal growth mindset. Here are some reasons intentions foster sustainable growth:
- They’re flexible and forgiving. When you make a resolution, such as “I’ll lose 40 pounds by summer,” it’s easy to fail. Breaking your diet for just one day can make you feel like a complete failure and often makes you abandon your goals. An intention, such as “I intend to eat more vegetables,” allows for skipped days. As long as you’re making an effort to add vegetables to your diet, you succeed.
- They force you to look deeper. Intentions force you to look beyond the surface level of your goals. You don’t just want to lose weight; you want to look and feel better. By examining the reason behind a goal, you create more than one way to get there.
- They promote self-awareness. Resolutions often come from a place of judgment: “I’m not skinny enough, so I need to lose weight.” Intentions come from a place of self-awareness: “I intend to add more vegetables to my diet because I feel healthier and have more energy when I eat well.”
How to Set Mental Health-Focused Intentions
Setting mental health-focused intentions helps you focus on what you can control. It encourages you to define how you want to feel as you navigate your day. Instead of creating a checklist, work on adding purpose and meaning:
- Self-reflect. Spend quiet time with yourself each day. Ponder open-ended questions, such as “How do I want to feel in my daily life?” and “What are some things I need to focus on to make myself healthier?”
- Connect with your core values. Each intention should reflect your core beliefs.
- Remain positive. Focus on what you want to bring to your life and not what you want to avoid.
- Journal. Use a journal to write down your intentions. Keeping track of your daily intentions can remind you of your commitment to yourself.
- Focus on the journey, not the destination. Trust the process. Understand it can take time to change.
- Start small. Focus on one or two intentions at a time. You’ll be more successful trying to integrate one or two goals than a long to-do list.
Letting Go of Perfectionism and Outcome Fixation
Resolutions are very rigid — one misstep and you fail. But because they can shift from one month to the next, intentions allow you to stray from the path and then easily and gently guide yourself back to your goals.
Stop thinking about a specific outcome and instead learn to enjoy the process. It’s not about seeking perfection. It’s about returning to your intention over and over. For example, if you intend to be kinder to yourself and you catch yourself talking negatively, consciously think of a kinder thought. If you feel overwhelmed, stop and take a few breaths. Small, consistent acts are part of the process.
Examples of Intentional Living for Emotional Wellness
The best intentions are clear and achievable. The following are some examples of mental health intentions and how they might show up in your daily life.
- I intend to embrace all my emotions with honesty. Learning how to accept and process your feelings can lead to stronger relationships, increased awareness and better mental health.
- I’ll learn how to share my thoughts truthfully. Embracing your true thoughts and learning how to express yourself to others can help you lead a more authentic life.
- I intend to embrace imperfections and practice self-acceptance. When you make a mistake, learn how to accept that you did your best and it’s OK to be imperfect. This will help you be less critical of yourself.
Making Intentions Part of Your Daily Practice
Setting your intentions is one of the best ways to work on positive behaviors and to learn and grow. The following are a few ways to make intentions part of your daily routine.
- Start your day with an intention. Before you get out of bed or reach for your phone, set an intention for the day. Say it out loud or to yourself to help set the tone for the day.
- Write it down. Write your intention on a sticky note and put it on your bathroom mirror, your laptop or at the top of a journal page. Seeing it in writing can help enforce its significance.
- Take advantage of brief moments. Use small moments during your day, such as while walking to your car or waiting for your coffee, to reconnect with your intention.
- End your day with your intention. Before you go to sleep, reflect on your day. Did you practice your intention? Don’t judge yourself — just observe and reinforce your intention for the next day.
Seeking Help
If you or someone you love is struggling with mental health issues, help is available. Contact us at Restore Mental Health to learn about your options.
