New Intentions; Manifesting Your Dream Life

New Intentions; Manifesting Dream Life

As we ring in the New Year, we may choose to also ring in new opportunities, goals, or

expectations for ourselves and our lives. It’s a great time to reflect on the past year’s successes

and difficulties - with the hope that we may recognize our growth and resilience as a result of

overcoming obstacles, or appreciate the journey toward increased resiliency that we may

continue to follow. While December 31 and January 1 are in the past, we have opportunities to

create a ritual of reflection and appreciation along with hope for future preferred outcomes at

any time we choose.

Resolutions & Expectations

Goals - we all have them or have had them at one point in our lives. Some may be more subtle

than others (daily goals) whereas larger goals require some planning. Goals can be recycled,

revamped, or just plain accomplished without a second thought. Some goals take years while

others can be accomplished within the same day or hour. Goals are great. However, it’s

important to consider the outcome we hope to achieve by attaining a specific goal. While

considering resolutions, take some time to also notice and evaluate how much weight you’re

attaching to accomplishing those resolutions. When we attach our worth to a specific outcome

we could risk movement away from the initial goal or outcome hoped for. Think about it for a

second. If I want to achieve “X” goal, then I’m also expecting some benefits such as feeling

happier, more at ease, productive, accomplished, etc. So, what if I don’t achieve “X” goal? Is it

possible to still achieve the benefits I had originally hoped for without actually attaining the goal I

expected to attain?

Unattachment to Outcomes

As highlighted above, resolutions or goal setting can be a valuable practice to begin forward

momentum. If we have an overarching goal in mind, chances are, we can begin to explore

individual steps or processes to eventually make it happen. For example, if my goal is to run a

marathon, I can begin the process of researching races, training programs or coaches,

exploring my preference for shoes and clothing, and can experiment with nutrition to enhance

my journey. I can hope that running a marathon can give me a sense of accomplishment, allow

me to create new relationships, and positively influence my physical and mental health. Notice

the difference between these outcomes and hoping to, say, lose x amount of weight or finish in

x amount of time. These outcomes are more specific and are valuable in certain goal setting

strategies. However, if I fall at risk to injury during my training, don’t lose the weight I expected

to lose, and don’t complete the race at the time in which I expected to, do all of these factors

discount the progress that I’ve made? The way that we choose to think about ourselves in lieu

of achieving specific outcomes is the key. If I’m able to identify the goal and stay true to myself

and my plan to accomplish that goal, I see that as a success. We cannot define our worth by

outcomes that are outside of our control when we live with integrity and remain true to our

values and the commitment we set forth for ourselves. So, when it’s time to once again reflect

on the goals we hoped to achieve, be sure to also focus on any unexpected, positive outcomes

in place of thinking from a perspective of lack if the resolution wasn’t met. Set yourself up for

success through taking actionable steps that you can be proud of despite any specific outcome

and take note of any differences you see in your thoughts process and self-evaluation. Here’s to

setting goals, living with integrity, and unattaching to outcomes.