Make Your New Years Resolution a New Years Intention (part 2)

I would like to continue our dialogue on how to make your New Years resolution a New Years intention. This week I’d like to discuss converting desires to intentions. Last week we began to examine why we want each desire that we have listed for ourselves. As you begin to ask why, you may determine that some of those desires really aren’t a priority at this moment. As we move closer to intention, we need to commit to making certain life changes to bring them about. This is where the “nice to have” items get removed from the list.

If your desire is to weigh 160 pounds and you weigh 210, certain lifestyle changes must be made. You may be used to getting up at 7am and having a large breakfast. Now you realize you need to get up at 5:30 to work out and you can no longer eat everything you want. Are you willing to commit to doing this daily for the rest of your life? If so then this can move from desire to intention.

Look at your list of desires again and ask yourself which items you are willing to change your life for? Begin to push those less critical desires to the side for now. You can always revisit them after you accomplish your top priorities.

The goal for this week is to create a concrete list of intentions that you are committed to bring to be. I would suggest that your maximum number of commitments be 5 or less. Most intentions take tremendous focus and energy. Trying to do too much depletes both, and lowers the probability of success.

Next week we will look at the next step needed to make your New Years resolution a New Years intention– putting the plan in place. In the meantime, let me know how you are progressing on moving from desire to intention.