4 intentions for a successful and happy year

As a new year begins, many of us set ambitious goals and resolutions with the best of intentions. Yet too often those goals are forgotten as life becomes busy and old habits return. Rather than focusing solely on what you want to achieve, it can be more powerful to focus on how you want to live, think and behave throughout the year. These four intentions provide a foundation for greater success, happiness, resilience and personal fulfilment.

Why goals alone are not enough

It is that time of year when we start to set resolutions, plan for the year ahead and set goals.

Did you actually achieve all the goals that you said you wanted to achieve last year?

If ‘no’ is your answer, then you are not the only one. Many people set big goals at the beginning of the year and seem to struggle to achieve them. I have come up with four powerful intentions which, if you follow through with them, will guarantee you a year of success, less stress, happiness and great satisfaction.

1. Practice self-discipline

Train yourself to do what you are supposed to do rather than what you feel like doing.

Step 1: Act in Alignment with Your Values

Behave and act in ways that reflect your values and allow you to achieve your goals.

Step 2: Develop self-awareness

Be consciously aware of yourself, your behaviours and actions, which will enable you to check and correct any actions or behaviours that do not fit your values.

Step 3: Commit to the process

Be committed to the discipline you are practicing. If you need to wake up at 5 am and you’re struggling to wake up early, you must be committed to waking up a little earlier each day until you are awake at 5 am every day. Be better than the person you were yesterday.

Step 4: Push through discomfort

Have the courage to push through the pain. At times, you will be pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, which can be painful; you will need to have the courage to push through so that you can feel the results you will gain once the discipline becomes a habit.

Step 5: Use positive self-talk

Use positive affirmations and self-talk to remind you why you are practicing the discipline and to encourage you along the way.

2. Be compassionate to yourself

Step 1: Understand your feelings

Understand yourself and the way you feel. Ask yourself why you feel the way you do and why you are acting the way you are. Just listen to yourself without passing judgement.

Step 2: Be your own best friend

Be your own best friend and have your own back. Imagine if your good friend were in your position, how would you show support to them? Do exactly that with yourself.

Step 3: Accept that mistakes are part of growth

Remind yourself that you will never be perfect, therefore will always make mistakes, which is part of life. The point is to make mistakes and learn from them, so that you can do and be better.

3. Master the art of forgiveness

Holding on to a grudge or being resentful causes you pain and makes you bitter. Who wants to be bitter? Bitterness is self-destructive, and it eats at you, making you unlikable, destroying your relationships, and holding you back. The only way to release yourself from the pain is to forgive. Forgiveness does not mean that what was done was ok. But you no longer want to hold on to the pain. Forgiveness is healing.

Steps to master the art of forgiveness:

Step 1: Look for the lessons

Think about all the positive things that come out of the awful experience.

Step 2: Practice compassion

Show compassion towards yourself and the other person by trying to understand where you and the other person are coming from. Why did they do those things? Try to understand without judgement.

Step 3: Forgive yourself

Forgive yourself for the part that you played, and forgive yourself for allowing others to hurt you.

Step 4: Stop telling the story.

Step 5: Send blessings instead of bitterness

Send your blessing to yourself and to the other person. Hope the best for them. Everyone is fighting with their own demons, and everyone is learning and making mistakes.

Step 6: Choose love over resentment

 Fight evil and bad-mindedness with love. Don’t become the person you dislike. Be the better person.

4. Live in the moment

• Be optimistic
• Smile more
• Allow yourself to really feel the experience and focus on what you're doing.
• Take notice of your surroundings right now - the people and nature. Count your blessings.
• Commit to acts of kindness.
• Do more things that you love doing and remove things that you don’t.
• Be thankful!

What could this year look like for you?

How do you feel your year will plan out if you set and follow through with these intentions?

Wishing you all an absolutely amazing year ahead!