Self-improvement is one of my favorite topics because I really think it can transform your life if it’s done right. At the start of a new year and decade, lots of us are striving to better ourselves. So in that spirit, I’m sharing 5 tips for creating successful intentions in this new decade, as well as my own intention for 2020.
How to set successful intentions
- Set one intention, not a list of resolutions.
I think the biggest mistake people make when making goals is thinking that they need to tackle everything at once. This makes the task much too daunting and often leads to failure. Instead, I like to set one intention for the year to focus my energy on. - Outline attainable goals within your intention.
Once you have your focus intention, it’s easy to prioritize goals within that intention. For example, if you’re an entrepreneur and your intention is to grow your business, pick five goals that will all help achieve your intention to grow your business. - Document and display your intention.
As a creator, this is my favorite part. I think it’s much easier to stay motivated and focused if you see your goals every day, and even more so if your goals are aesthetically pleasing. I used Illustrator to create my intention graphic below, but if you’re not a graphic designer there are plenty of free programs to help you create beautiful graphics. One of my favorites is canva. - Use your intention to prioritize.
Since you’re choosing one intention rather than several resolutions, you can use your intention to guide your decisions and priorities. For example, if your intention is to improve your physical health, when faced with a decision to get drinks after work or go to yoga, the choice is clear. You can easily align your priorities with your intention when it’s focused on just one goal. - Give yourself grace.
Another big reason I see people abandoning their resolutions is because they messed up for a day, or a week, or haven’t maintained consistency. Although being consistent is the best way to form a habit, sometimes life gets in the way. And I think the key to succeeding in your intention long term is giving yourself grace and not throwing in the towel if you get off track a few times.
My Intention for 2020
This year, my intention is to stress less. I’ve talked about my struggles with anxiety before, and recently I’ve recognized how this is an area I need to focus my energy on again. To help achieve my intention, I’ve set six goals:
- Wake up early: When I wake up early and have enough time in the morning to accomplish everything, the rest of my day goes so much better. I’ve realized the extra minutes of sleep aren’t worth the rushing that follows. Plus, this helps me get to sleep sooner the following night.
- Write out priorities: One thing that really stresses me out is having a rolling list of to-do’s bouncing around in my head. I’ve found that if I write out everything I want to accomplish that day, week, etc., I can prioritize what absolutely needs to get done and what can wait for another day.
- Stop scrolling: I love Instagram. It’s the only social media platform I use and I often find myself spending mindless hours just scrolling through people’s lives that I don’t even know or really care about. Lately I’ve really focused on finding another activity to occupy my downtime, like painting, playing the piano or reading a book. These activities actually serve me, while scrolling is just wasted time.
- Move every day: Somehow I always forget how good exercise makes me feel. If I have a moment of severe anxiety or find myself stuck on something, yoga or walking outside really helps. I think there’s something especially energizing about moving outside. Being in nature makes me realize how small my problems are and how beautiful the world is.
- Be present: This one is easier said than done. The biggest source of anxiety is worrying about the future or dwelling on the past. I’m trying to just appreciate a moment I’m in by being fully present. Not looking at my phone helps here too.
- Say no: I go through phases where I am relaxed and comfortable for one moment, then out of my comfort zone and totally overwhelmed the next. At this time in my life, being mentally calm is more important than taking on more new projects. I tend to say yes to a lot of things because I want to expand my horizons but I think I will be better served this year by saying no to anything that doesn’t meet my intention.
