The pressure is on. It’s the New Year, and that means a new
resolution to guide your path forward for the coming year. But if you’re like
the majority of us who set resolutions, 92 percent
of us to be exact, that resolution loses steam by the end of January, if not
before, and falls into the graveyard of forgotten resolutions. Statistically,
only 8% of those who make a New Year’s resolution actually keep it. For many,
resolutions for the New Year start with a fitness goal, breaking a bad habit, getting
organized, or managing finances better. But what if we thought about
resolutions as intentions, like those we set in yoga? Perhaps we let those
intentions become our goals for the year, not just in yoga practice, but in
life practice?
An intention is a higher-consciousness of a thought, a
thing, a goal, and using it for a higher purpose. Intentions provide you with
an agenda to help you set your priorities and expectations. By consciously
setting an intention, you are saying to yourself, and the universe, that you
are committed to this thought, this thing, this goal. Making your intention
clear also helps you become more mindful when it goes off track, so you can
quickly self-correct.
Mind over Matter
47% of resolution makers set count self-improvement as their
goal. Reducing stress in their lives is a big part of that category. The
day-to-day stress can cause illness and even interfere with cognitive
capabilities. Just like the calm you get from an hour-long yoga class, strive
to maintain that “mind over matter” experience outside of your practice to combat the everyday
stressors at work, school, or at home. Take a quiet time out whenever you get a
chance, whenever you’re feeling tense or frazzled.
What You Think You Become
Buddha taught, “The mind is everything. What you think, you
become.” If you think you are successful, you will be successful. If you think you
are a quitter, you will be a quitter. According to some researchers, the
average human has between 50,000 and 70,000 thoughts in a single day. Imagine
if the majority of those thoughts were negative. What if we all wasted our
thoughts on worrying about things we can’t control, or worrying about the
future or the unknown? What if our thoughts are complaints or criticisms? What
you focus on has a dramatic impact on your reality, so
think positively and train your mind to ignore the negative thoughts and focus
on the unlimited potential you can unlock.
Manifesting Energy
Remember, your thoughts and energy create your reality. Through positive
thoughts and energy you can manifest your desires, success, and wellness. Move
this positive energy you create inside of your body to the outside where you
can experience it, share it, and become more aware of it. When that energy –
the negative thoughts - stay inside, you aren’t as likely to hold yourself
accountable for it. You can manifest this energy through writing your thoughts
down, drawing them, or painting them. Then, send them back to the universe to manifest
your goals!
Setting an intention will not only bring your yoga practice
to a deeper level, but can bring your daily life to a deeper level. Try making
these intentions everyday habits without the pressure of a once-a-year resolution
to help ensure your success in maintaining them.
Did
you know…that yoga is a practice that you carry with you
throughout the day, long after your time on the mat has ended, so it’s the best
place to set a daily intention? Check out Movement Works Winter Yoga schedule
to find a class that meets your needs.
