This time of year is powerful when setting goals to establish a pathway to success, health, fitness and/or wellbeing. It is the perfect time create space to develop new habits and to discard those that no longer serve us well.
I am currently creating an intention for the year and putting together goals – keeping the goalsas simple as I can. Too many goals are unachievable and too complex goals are scary and won’t get started.
Ultimately I want to be the best version of myself – for myself and as a wife, mother, daughter, friend, teacher, student, business owner and as a responsible citizen of the world.
My ego wants desperately to cling to youth – as I transcend into this – the most scariest of age milestones to date – and it requires a mobile body and positive mindset to adjust to the ageing process.
My intention at the beginning of 2020 is to resolve to evolve. My yoga journey is key to achieving this.
I’ve come to realize, that it is the journey, not the destination or ultimate vision, that is the most important part. Setting intentions is the journey.
Intentions are far more concerned about self love, self preservation and self care than striving for whatever the ultimate reward delivers. Intentions focus more on internal power and long-term habitual change, whereas goals often focus more on external and sometimes, short-lived rewards.
The language we use to set goals can deviate into a subconscious exercise of self-loathing. For example, I will lose weight (note to self – you’re fat), I will stop drinking (you lush), I will be better at … I will stop … I will, I will, I will … The assumption is that who we are, is not good enough, it kind of reinforces the mistaken belief that happiness depends on acquiring – a flat belly – for example.
The Sanskrit word for setting an intention is sankalpa, literally translated as “will, purpose or determination“. We often set an intention for our yoga practice, one we can take off the mat and into our daily lives. A word, a phrase, a string of encouraging phrases, something positive that will serve us in the present moment.
A sankalpa starts from the basis we are already the best we are in order to fulfill our desires – we just need to switch on the source.
As an example of sankalpa, instead of saying “I want to lose 5 kilo’s by …” my intention shall be “I eat nourishing and healing foods”.
In helping to achieve success here – try to add before subtracting – like add more water, more vegies, a long walk, before taking things away. Soon there won’t be room for the old habits.