New Year’s resolutions are terrible because we are not a different person on January 1 (or 2) than we are in the last days of December, or November or June. They are also terrible because we over-estimate what we can do in a day, and under-estimate what we can do in a year.
Today is the last day of January. Maybe all your “resolutions” have already collapsed. That’s okay, you have time: try setting an intention for 2022 instead.
What is the one goal? The one thing you want to be different at the end of the year?
Hope for many things, but choose the one thing that is most important to you, that will make the most difference to you.
When we start the year with a list, we break it as soon as life gets in the way. When we start the year with an intention we can keep coming back to it again and again – and find that even if the specific goal was accomplished, there is still more depth to uncover. Or we can just pat ourselves on the back; that’s fine.
First, ask why this thing is important to you? What will it give you? What will be possible once it is done that is not today?
Then ask, what is most likely to get in your way? Make a list.
How big are those things? Maybe one of them needs to be the intention for the year; you have more groundwork to lay for the original intention you came up with. That is okay. You have time.
Next, ask who will support you? Who will you share this intention with? How can they help you come back to it? How can they support you practically? We need practical help as well as emotional support to achieve big things.
Now, ask what are you willing to say no to? What do you like, or want to do, but are willing to make less important than this intention? What are you willing to continue as-is, imperfect but adequate, in order to create space for your One Most Important Thing?
Finally, you’re ready to determine your next steps. Every big goal can be broken down, or if not, maybe the first step is figuring out how to break it down and where to begin.
That’s okay. You have time.