Happy New Years!

Happy New Years Everyone!! Oh wait, that was a couple months ago… Let's try this again. Happy First Day of Spring Everyone!!!

You're likely wondering why I'm bringing up New Years in March. If you are anything like me, you may have made a New Year’s resolution in January or late December…

Let me ask you this - are you still following through? Has it fallen by the way-side?

If you are still following through - YAY! That is AMAZING! If you've let your resolution go, maybe it wasn’t right for you. Now is your chance to start again.

I find it fascinating how each year we look to the future and feel an urge to make changes, to create new 'resolutions'. For me, this is something that has been ingrained since childhood.

Now I'm beginning to question it. First of all, why does it just have to be on January 1st? Why can't it be at any time of the year?

In January I was asked a few times what my resolution(s) are for 2016. My response - I'm not making resolutions anymore. 

Wait - WHAT?

In my experience, a resolution is seldom permanent. They tend to go one of two ways - they are either not overly specific or, if they are, they are a large (and often unrealistic) goal. If you've managed to make resolutions permanently stick, I would love to know how you did it (reply below!).

If our resolutions are unspecific or too large, we let go of it within a few days, weeks or months of January 1st. 

A friend of mine commented that resolutions feel forced. That they have a feeling of 'if you make a resolution, you better stick with it'.  I think she is absolutely right.

Instead I invite you to consider resolutions vs. intentions. 

To me intentions are softer, smaller, and easier to commit to; to keep. 

You may still slip from time to time and let the intention go, but coming back to it is easier. You can pick it up, brush it off, and continue on.

My intention for this year was to write a gratitude journal. Did you notice what I just wrote? My intention 'was'... past tense. This is exactly how I feel at this moment.  I'm not even sure where the journal is at this moment. You know what? That’s ok. I will dig it out, I will bring it back to the present and I will continue on. I want to remember the wonderful things that happened this year. Through this journal, I can do that.

In yoga, intentions are created as a positive present statement. Not something we should do/change, or something we need to do/change, but rather something we are already doing.  

One that I often use in my yoga practices is 'I am present'. As I repeat this intention, it reminds me to stay in the present moment, to release the past and not to worry about the future. Enjoy the here and now. 

The beauty of intentions is that we can change them to suit the space we're in or the need in that moment. This isn't to mean that we let go of previous intentions - they will likely come up again and again. After all, there is a reason we chose them in the first place.

My intention for this year is to allow space for gratitude. To acknowledge the happiness in my life as it unfolds.

As you read this, has an intention come to mind? Can you create space in your life to allow your intention to grow and evolve as you do?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Perhaps you'd like to share your intention.

Love, Light and Om
Andrea