Setting My Intentions
Happy Twenty Twenty Me!
When I was in middle school, my mom was really into yoga. She would go two or three times a week, and every so often if I had time, I would tag along. The instructor of the class would always start by asking everyone to set an intention for their practice that day, or, if we were up to it, set an intention for our lives more broadly.
At the time, I did not buy it. I didn’t really understand what I was supposed to be thinking about or how that related to the 45 minutes of pain I was about to endure. (This might be a good time to mention that I cannot touch my toes or do a push up, so downward dogs and vinyasa flows were absolutely out of the picture.)
But as I was thinking about what I wanted to talk about for the first newsletter of the year, I kept finding myself coming back to the idea of intention. I love the new year and I love the idea of a symbolic fresh start, and most importantly, I love the idea of self improvement and refinement. So let’s address the big popular topic of the new year: resolutions.
Do I believe in New Year’s resolutions? Sort of.
I don’t believe in the idea of forcing physical changes or trying to fit into unhealthy mindsets, and as Eli Rallo so beautifully put it in this TikTok, new starts are opportunities to gain something, not to lose anything. However, I do think that something as inconsequential as a different number on the end of the year can be very good motivation to finally commit. Whether it be committing to a new habit or change or mindset, sometimes a burst of motivation is all you need.
With that being said, I’ve made a list of intentions for the year. They’re basically just resolutions, but I like to think of it as something I’m aiming to do, and goals I want to achieve, but not something that I am bound by or need to be stressed over. A priority on mindset and reasoning for my goals instead of results, if you will. A lot can change in a year! Just because I am setting my intentions a certain way right now does not mean that will be the most beneficial mindset for me later. In fact, I hope it’s not. I’ve been going through a period of intense change and growth recently and I do not want to halt that progress.
Anyway, I’m not going to share my entire list of intentions because that would get really boring, but here are some of the highlights:
Watch 150 movies. (I did 100 last year and I have an insatiable desire to one up myself)
Refill my water bottle at least once a day. (This has become a lot easier now that my roommate and I compare how hydrated we are every night. What can I say? Competition is very compelling.)
Make at least one new friend per new class this semester. (Since it’s been a month, I can happily declare that I’ve checked this off my list! I was apprehensive going back into the school year that I would be stuck in a rut and unable to socialize with new people, or that I wouldn’t want to because I’d be too busy thinking of my friends at home, but I really do think that telling myself to make new friends is all it took to actually do it. Mind over matter!)
Duolingo Spanish every day.
I’m not sure what you’ll do with that information, or how relevant my intentions are to you. Part of me wanted to write about my goals for the year in the hopes of holding myself accountable, but the other part of me is so worried that I won’t be able to complete these goals and then everyone will know that I’m a failure. Which is not at all reasonable by the way, because our self worth should not be equated to how we complete tasks.
On a more positive note, I’m excited for 2023! Which is sort of crazy for me to say. For years I wouldn’t let myself get excited for anything in case it goes terribly wrong, but that mindset is sooo 2022. I allowed myself excitement and hope for January and it was incredible for me. I’m getting more settled into my life at college, I got to spend the first month at home with my loved ones, and I’m planning a whole bunch of outings and events with my friends in the coming weeks.
I hope everyone has had a gorgeous month, and if you didn’t, know that there are 11 more in the year and many more after that. It’s never too late for a fresh start. In fact, you could declare that you’re trying again right now. If your January wasn’t what you had hoped, it is NOT a sign that the rest of the year will be disappointing!!!! No matter how much we hype it up, New Year’s is just a day, and there are plenty of those to look forward to that can be equally significant for you.
If you made it this far, thank you. Sorry for lack of concrete focus or lesson this time round (I feel like I keep apologizing and then doing the same thing), but I have some fun topic ideas for the coming months, so ideally it’s all uphill from here. But that’s all I have for you now!
Happy 2023! Happy Year of the Rabbit!
I love you.
Kalina