How to connect with your true values to live a wholesome year

By: Mayra

It’s January and like most people, I am feeling the thrill of a new year full of possibilities. Metaphorically, this month always feels like a blank canvas and while I’m trying to decide what to paint on it, I get a full dose of inspiration and creative ideas that might feel overwhelming if not handled with care and intention. Writing a long list of New Year’s resolutions seems the most reasonable thing to do at this point, yet studies show that the majority of people struggle to stick to and accomplish these resolutions.

New Year's Resolutions often focus on multiple high-expectation general goals based on what we “should do and be”. This can inadvertently make us feel like they’re obligations rather than choices that resonate with our values and unfold to an inevitable fade of motivation. 

In contrast, setting New Year's intentions centers on how you want your life to feel, emphasizing your values and what’s uniquely important to you. It’s more about what you really want to do, rather than what you should do or be. While this may seem like a subtle difference, it's a powerful one. By focusing on intentions, you align your actions with internal values, creating a sustainable approach to setting meaningful goals. 

This year, I’m shifting from a high-expectation mentality to a more intentional approach. One that centers around things that genuinely bring me joy and are good for my overall well-being. Here’s a simple, step-by-step guide to help craft meaningful, more sustainable goals that align with your true priorities.

Step 1: Closing the last chapter.

Set the mood, light a candle, play your favourite playlist, and get cozy with your journal. Before setting any intentions, let’s reflect on the last chapter of our life. This will help you get insight into what you want to keep on cultivating and what you wish to let go. You can write and reflect on: 

• What really stood out for me from my previous year? 

• What memories, people, and habits made me feel happy, authentic, and connected to myself? 

• What goals did I achieve, and which ones did I not? 

• What challenges did I face and what did I learn from them? 

• How can I show compassion for myself for the challenges and unmet goals from my previous year? 

• What do I feel grateful for and what do I need to let go?

Step 2: Get Clear on What Matters.

After reflecting and closing last year’s chapter, it’s time to reflect on what’s truly important to you — Beyond what society deems desirable, we all have our unique needs and priorities. Whether that’s community and friendships, an artistic practice, travelling or self-improvement writing as detailed as possible will bring clarity and clarity will be your guiding star when it comes to intention setting.

You can reflect using the following journal prompts:

• How would my life look like if I fully embodied all my values? 

• What kind of relationships do I want to nurture (with myself, loved ones, the earth, my job, or even money)? 

• What are the most important things for my well-being at this moment? 

• When do I feel more like myself?

• What activities bring me joy, and how can I do them more often? 

• What aspects of my life and myself need more attention and compassion?

  
  At the end of this section, from your writings, underline 2-5 keywords or phrases that stand out the most for you, these will be your main intentions for the year! 

Step 3: Brainstorm ideas. 

Now that you’ve connected to what feels authentic and important to you, write down a list of ideas on how to invite these themes and values into your life. Let your ideas flow freely and (don’t think too critically about it!) try writing at least three ideas for each intention you have for your year. 

For instance, if one of my intentions is “to feel more emotionally balanced and connected to myself”, I might include on my list ideas like going to therapy, planning solo dates, or joining a creative workshop. If “friendship and community” are themes I underlined, good ideas to nurture this are scheduling calls with loved ones, hosting craft nights with friends, and meeting people by doing activities that align with my values or interests like meditation groups or volunteering at art fairs.

Step 4: Put everything together. 

Using the following structure, write 2-5 sentences combining elements of everything you have written so far. This will give you a clear understanding of what you want to bring into your life, how you can approach it and the intention behind that. 

“This year, I invite ________ into my life by ________, ________ and ________.

My intention is to ________________ because ________________.” 

Step 5: Calendarize it! 

This step makes everything more real. Being able to find a place and time for your priorities amplifies the sense of commitment and gives a perspective of what is attainable and realistic. For example, “joining a creative workshop.” is one activity I want to commit to with my intention to “feel more emotionally balanced and connected to myself”, and I know that with school and my two jobs, a realistic frequency for this is once a month. So I’ll add it to my calendar for me to see and remind myself this is something important to take action towards, I can later modify the date and time but at least I’ll see it there and commit to it. You can use platforms like Notion or Google Calendar and personalize everything to make it more exciting. 

Final thoughts.

Remember that life is a learning experience unique to every individual! Everything you intend and act upon will bring change and beauty to your life. Some things will come faster, and some other things will take longer to manifest and integrate into your life. I invite you to approach your intentions with kindness, patience and compassion and enjoy the journey!

I hope this guide brought you clarity, direction and inspiration and that you have an intentional and exceptional year! 

Be Well All Year Round!

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