Ditch the New Years Resolution and opt for sustained wellbeing instead. Here's how!

It’s that time of year again. The New Year! A refresh. A restart. But why does it feel so daunting? Why are we creating resolutions in the dead of winter? A time for hibernation, slowing down and taking inventory? Popular culture tells us we should ignore these things and set huge, often unattainable declarations anyway. The resounding question of the New Year begins well before the holidays – what’s your New Year’s resolution? – and it’s everywhere. It’s online. In magazines. On social media. Your neighbor asks you. The morning radio show is talking about it. And then there are the statistics: less than half of individuals that set a New Year’s resolution have already quit and we are only 11 days into January. The likelihood of sticking to a new habit is over 80%; however, when you try to add two new behaviors, it drops down to less than 35% and drops even lower when attempting three or more behaviors at once. And let’s face it, many of us set multiple resolutions. What’s more, our brain is not designed to keep big resolutions. It senses danger when we set resolutions that are too different from what we know, our normal day-to-day. This includes resolutions like, “I am cutting out sugar for 2022” or “I am going to work out every day this year”. Not only are these resolutions too far from our norm, they are also drastic.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

So, this year, I say ditch the resolution and set an intention instead: an aim, plan, or purpose for the New Year. An intention is a gift to yourself, of whatever it is that you need right now. This year. It can be a quality or virtue you want to cultivate or a focus for the year ahead.

How do you go about setting an intention? First, take time to notice. To know what it is you want to aim or plan for. Do you want cultivate more focus this year? Your intention could be, “To stay focused” or simply the word, “focus”. Are you lacking energy and motivation? Your intention could be, “To have energy and feel motivated” or simply, “Energy and motivation”. Notice what you need in your life right now whether it’s “Forgiveness, letting go, being open, gratitude, strength” …anything that speaks to you and your needs in your current phase of life. Then, write it down as an intention, a word or phrase, so that you can use your intention in a way that serves you and your life.

Once you’ve set your intention, it’s important to create an affirmation that will propel it forward. An affirmation is a positive assertion or statement of truth. Affirmations are powerful. They help shift your mind into believing the truth and living the truth so that the truth becomes your reality. Affirmations are calming and guiding. For example, if your intention is ‘focus’, an affirmation could be, “I am focused in all I do” or “I am focused throughout my day”. If your intention is ‘energy and motivation’, affirmations could include, “I wake up with energy and motivation,” “My daily rituals are energy-inducing and motivating” or “I am energized and motivated”.

What do you need in your life right now? What would you like to cultivate or focus on? In what area are you struggling? That is your intention. If you haven’t yet, take a moment to write it down and then to write down an affirmation or statement of truth based on your intention (if you feel lost in this practice, reach out to me!). Put copies of the words and statements where you will see them every day: in your bathroom, on your refrigerator, on your calendar or phone, in your wallet, on your dashboard, anywhere and everywhere that you can see them throughout your day. Speak your affirmation. Say it out loud and in your mind. Say it before you start work for the day, when you get out of bed, after lunch, and anytime you feel worn, overwhelmed, lost. Repeat your affirmation until it feels second-nature. A part of you.

And, to continue to propel your intention forward, pick a behavior or ritual that benefits your intention. If your intention is focus, set aside time each day to perform a task that will improve your focus. For example, keep a water bottle with you to sip on throughout the day, meditate (even if only for 2-5 minutes), or outline your to-dos and number them by importance (either the night before or day of). With respect to energy and motivation, create a behavior that will boost your energy and motivation. This could be to eat your greens (toss spinach, kale or broccoli into your fruit smoothie), move your body (take a walk at lunch or stretch after sitting for a while), or write down your daily wins (no matter how small). The point here is to create a ritual that coincides with your intention and affirmation, something that is obtainable and enjoyable, rather than draining or too far removed from your current routine. Then, pick a time of day you will, and want to, keep the ritual. Set a reminder if it helps. Write it down on your agenda or set an alert on your phone, knowing that this small act will boost self-trust. It will move your needle forward rather than stress your brain or send it signals of danger. A small, daily ritual is attainable and will become a calming, normal part of your day. And, the best part is, it will create sustained wellbeing that lasts the whole year long. Happy, healthy intending!

In health,
Lindsay Coward, MPH

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