Are you somebody who sets New Year’s resolutions every single year in the hopes of making positive changes in the months to come?

Whether it be growing your career, getting into a good fitness routine, eating a healthier diet, or even something as simple as drinking more water, plenty of people make plans to implement positive changes when a new year is about to begin.

While New Year’s resolutions are definitely well-intentioned, they really aren’t effective.

In fact, they can potentially set you up to fail. Think about it…

What happens when you set a resolution and don’t follow through with it?

You wind up disappointed or feeling defeated. The resolutions are yet another thing on your list that you weren’t able to accomplish, which can make you feel like a failure.

And every year, you swear this is going to be THE YEAR that you actually achieve every resolution you set.

When you don’t do exactly that, the vicious cycle repeats itself.

But there is an easy way to get your head and heart in the right space as you head into a new year that doesn’t involve setting resolutions.

Set Intentions Instead of Resolutions

Instead of resolutions, get into the habit of setting intentions instead.

Because they don’t have an end goal, intentions get you into the right mindset for making the positive changes you desire without all of the pressure of resolutions.

They set the tone for the year, and they give you a general theme to focus on as opposed to specific results.

By setting intentions, you’re making a commitment for how you want the year to play out, which will keep you focused.

With every decision you make, you can go back and ask yourself whether or not it serves your intention. If it doesn’t, then you’ll know you need to go in a different direction.

There are no expectations of what the outcome will be as far as intentions go. They’re simply in place to be the guiding factor for the actions you take.

How to Set An Intention

When you are deciding what intention (or intentions) you’d like to set, think about your core beliefs, values, and the feelings that reside in your heart and your deepest desires.

There’s no “wrong” intention. It all comes down to what feeling you choose to honor.

Intentions might look like…

…I want to be kinder to myself and to those around me.

…I want to use my gifts to help others and to help people lead healthier, more fulfilled lives.

…I want to be more mindful and present instead of thinking about events from the past or worrying about the future.

…I want to truly listen to others and think about what they are saying so that they feel heard and know that they matter.

…I want to be less reactive when I find myself feeling triggered.

…I want to give more energy to everything I’m grateful for and everything I love in life.

That’s just the beginning. There really are infinite possibilities to the intentions you can set for yourself. That’s the best part about them.

In Conclusion

Cut yourself some slack in the coming year and kick those disappointing resolutions to the curb once and for all.

By setting clear intentions, don’t be surprised when 2021 turns out to be the year where you finally feel centered, alive, and like you’re staying true to yourself and what’s important to you.

What is your intention(s) for the new year? Leave us a comment and let us know!

And if your intention for 2021 is to live an unapologetic life where you can have wild success and help others on their journey to health and happiness, our Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach program is a great place to start!

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