Setting Our Intentions

During the holiday season, a lot of different thoughts and emotions are sure to arise.  There may be happiness and satisfaction from connecting with our loved ones and the spirit of giving.  There may also be a sense of dissatisfaction or lack, especially if our relationships aren’t what we would like them to be.

As we approach the end of the year, we are also likely to focus on the ways our lives have fallen short of our expectations.  We may dream of everything we want to accomplish or changes we would like to make so that the next year is happier and more fulfilling.

It’s important to recognize that our feelings of satisfaction are often nested in our core values.  We tend to feel satisfied when we are living in accord with our values – things like service, connection with nature, friendship, family, love, honesty, health – and dissatisfied when we are out of alignment.

Core values serve as a sort of North Star – something that orients us so we can know when we are off course

As we move forward into the new year, it can be helpful to set our intention to get into greater accord with our values.  To let go of behaviors or circumstances that are no longer serving us, and to take actions that allow us to live more meaningfully.

One way to solidify our intentions is to make a vow that we can easily repeat to help us remember what’s important to us.  A vow is not a binding contract, but simply a direction and orientation.

You may want to take a moment to consider what are the core values that give meaning to your life (you can find a good list here).  Then, you can try writing an intention to live in accord with your values in the form of a vow: “May I try to… as best I can today.”

Once you’ve written your vow, you can say it first thing when you get up in the morning. At the end of the day before bed, you can repeat your vow and also review the big and small ways you were on or off track that day.

We need to be very self-compassionate when we notice we’ve strayed from our vow—no shame or self-recrimination, it’s only human—and then refocus on our intention.

Reminding ourselves of our North Star in this simple, concrete manner can help us lead a happier and more fulfilling life and is an important act of self-compassion.

It is my hope that this message serves as a supportive practice that nourishes you into the coming year. I look forward to connecting with you all in the new year.