New Years Resolutions were once upon a time the ‘big thing’, but I’ve noticed a gradual shift over the last few years for a bigger focus towards ‘intention setting’.

For some it might not seem as though there any difference, indeed the difference maybe subtle but in my eyes incredibly significant.

You look up the word ’resolution’ in the dictionary you get “a firm decision to do or not to do something” however when you look up ‘intention’ you read “something that you want and plan to do”.

Subtle difference…

The idea of a resolution seems to me to create an environment of winning or failing. Black or white. You do, or you do not. People nearly always ‘fall off the wagon’ when it comes to resolutions and never get back on for having ‘let themselves down' whether that be on a conscious level or not.

Yet, intention holds the bigger picture of growth. For me it is both here and now and future focussed all in one. It is something you desire and you work towards as an ongoing process of learning and discovery. It allows for personal evolution and as such it embodies a hugely powerful energy.

I quit making New Years Resolutions a few years back and last year decided to set an intention for the very first time.

My intention was a single word for the year, something that I deeply connected with, made me excitedly curious and an idea I wanted to use the year to explore as fully as possible.

My word was ‘experiences’. It was an incredible year rich with volunteering travels, working at festivals, plus many other small day to day experiences I honoured as part of stepping into this intention. You can read more about it here and I intend to continue indefinitely albeit with a background focus. This became an element of my identity.

This year I sat for a long time contemplating what my intension would be. ‘Experiences’ had been incredible, a big and glorious word with a lot of vibrant energy associated with it. I found myself thinking that ‘what other word would live up to that status’. Only then did I realise I was not in a competition with myself, and that the small voice that was trying to be heard may be had the answer all along. This year I’m honouring the small voice that I have been pushing back for quite some time. I am stepping into something that I find incredibly challenging on a day-to-day basis and for this reason I know it's something I need to challenge myself and grow towards embodying.

My word for this year is ‘consistency’. It has a softer, slower and steadier energy around it. In fact it feels in total contrast to my intention last year!

It will be a year long learning process to discover how I can create consistency in all areas of my life and how I can show up more consistently and create what I need to in my business and my life on a more consistent basis. As simple and as mediocre as it may sound when spoken, that word has the potential to create incredibly powerful changes for me and I’m committed to honouring the process.

“It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It’s what we do consistently” ~ Tony Robbins.

Above all else, for me one of the greatest aspects of intention setting is creating curiosity, and being open to explore how stepping into your intention may guide you through the year, and what incredible results it could bring when you reflect in December.

On 20-22nd January (just a couple of weeks time!) I am running a weekend retreat with the theme of intention setting a powerful element of the weekend and I’m incredibly excited to share the space with a group of 12 people all ready to step powerfully into the year ahead. The cost per person is only £150 and I have just a couple of spaces remaining, so if you’d like to know more check out the details here and then going touch with me as soon as possible.

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