Setting your New Year’s Intentions

Do new year’s resolutions work? Many research studies suggest they do not.

So what if, instead of a new year’s resolution, this year, you set a new year’s intention? ✨

Because even though there is value in setting specific goals and resolutions, there is also value in zooming out to bring clarity on what matters to you most.

That’s the power of intentions.

🌸 Setting an intention is more about connecting with your broader sense of purpose. Intentions direct your mind to make choices that align with your values.

The difference between resolutions and intentions.

A resolution is, more or less, a statement to change something you want to fix about yourself or your lifestyle. As a result, resolutions tend to focus on the negative or what you lack.

On the other hand, an intention is more focused on creating abundance in your life, making room for more. An intention does not imply something is wrong with the way you currently live, but instead, it motivates you to live even better. While resolutions are focused more on the end goal, intentions are focused more on daily actions and practice.

For example, rather than setting a resolution of losing ten pounds in the new year, you might instead set an intention to feed your body with nutrient-dense foods and find ways of moving your body that bring joy into your life.

Here are some questions to help you set your intentions:

🔹 What about your life brings you the most joy?

🔹 What do you want to cultivate more of in your life?

🔹 What words or phrases capture the essence of your answers above?

Once you set an intention, you can meditate on those words or set reminders in places you see every day (like a sticky note on your computer or bedside stand).

Then let it go and return to those words whenever you face new opportunities, challenges, or decisions.

Happy New Year!

=Carin Nielsen, MD, ABIHM, IFMCP

Are you ready for a fresh perspective on your health? As a board-certified Integrative & Functional Medicine physician, I can help you “think outside of the box”, dig deeper with laboratory testing, and create a plan personalized for you that goes beyond the prescription pad to incorporate diet/lifestyle change, nutritional supplements, holistic therapies, health coaching and more! Contact us to schedule an appointment or learn more.