Giving Intentions Stickiness

Each year hundreds upon thousands of us start the New Year off by making resolutions with great excitement and the feeling that this year’s going to be different from last. This year, we recommit to following through and we swear that we are going to stick with our resolutions.

Well, that seems great in theory for most of us…Then life happens, we get back in to the day-to-day and our New Year’s resolutions often get cast aside like an old, dirty shirt. If this sounds familiar to you don’t be too hard on yourself...I promise it happens to the best of us!

OK, so knowing that what can we do to make our resolutions/intentions stick this year?

Here are just a few tips to support you in making your intentions sticky. Please bear in mind that these tips are in no particular order and I encourage you to use any or all of them…whatever is going to help you be successful with your intentions.

First, it is really important to get clear around your intentions and to be specific... the more specific the better. For example, if your intention is to lose weight, give that weight a number. It’s not enough just to say, “I will lose weight this year.” Provide yourself with something that has, what I like to call, "hang-on ability"…that’s something that feels real and when you think about it you get excited and want to hang on to it and the feeling it provokes. In other words, something you can hang on to because it is tangible to you!

2) During the initial intention setting, while you are getting clear and capturing your intentions it is important not to worry about the “how” your intention(s) will manifest themselves. That can detract from the intention setting and may act as an obstacle or a deterrent. You know the old, "I can’t do this..who I am I kidding?" syndrome. Try and remember the how is up to the universe to figure out. Your job is to be clear around your intentions and ask for what you want.

3) Also, be prepared to make a commitment to yourself and your intentions. Feel the intention(s) as if it has already become a reality. If it helps, create a vision board with pictures that resonate around your intention(s) that you can look at everyday. I have a beautiful vision board above my desk and it spurs positive feelings every time I look at the pictures on it.

If you are one that can visualize easily, visualize the fruition of your intention. Visualize living it! Remember, the brain, while it is an amazing wonder, cannot differentiate between what is real and what is visualized.

4) Once you visualize or have your vision board created, lock into the positive feelings that your vision board and/or visualization creates. You can even create a mantra/affirmation around your intentions that will help you stay charged. An important key to remember is to be sure your mantra/affirmation is in the present tense and positive, not expressing lack or negativity. For example, using the weight theme again, an affirmation can be… I am always able to maintain my ideal weight of 140. I am fit, trim, and healthy.

5) Write it all down, intentions, mantras and all. Be sure to re-read what you have written often. I recommend reading your intentions and affirmations 10 times a day; five times in the morning, before your feet hit the floor and five times before you drift off to sleep at night.

6) Really important, be present and in the present moment. Remember, it is up to the universe to help you decipher the “how” to achieving what you want, but in order for you to receive the “how” you must be present. That means not worrying about how your intentions will ever come to be, or worrying about the past or worrying about the future…just be present.

7) Often when we are intention setting we may become aware of obstacles or tolerations. That’s a good thing! If you find there are obstacles or tolerations standing in your way you will want to find ways to remove them so you can move forward and flow with your intentions.

If it is fear or self doubt standing in your way, tap into the fear and find out where it is coming from. Is it coming from your head or your heart? Most likely it is coming from your head, which is where fear often resides. What always helps me to deal with fear is to take a deep breath, and focus on my heart because that is often where the truth resides, and then I say (out loud) my mantra/affirmation.

Here is something I have also found very helpful…

8) Break your intentions down into bite-sized pieces and set some target dates for achievement. One of the main reasons intentions do not come to fruition is because we try to accomplish a huge intention in one go and that can be very overwhelming and discouraging. So, if your intention is to lose 50 pounds start with a smaller intention, for example to lose 10 pounds in five weeks and give it a date. Then each week set an action that will help you to achieve the weight loss. The first week could be committing to eating more veggies or exercising for an hour 3 days a week. INTENTION + ACTION = RESULTS

Most importantly, be sure to CELEBRATE each bite-sized intention you accomplish. Celebrating not only helps to make the process fun, but it keeps you motivated. Treat yourself to a soak in the tub, a night out at the movies. The celebration does not have to break the bank, but should be something you enjoy and a way to celebrate you and what you have accomplished.

9) Express gratitude for the intention(s) as if they have already been accomplished. Using the weight lose example again, one could say, "I am so grateful for my fit and trim body". Being in "attitude of gratitude" not only helps to alleviate fear and bring us into the present moment, but it helps raise our energy level. Positive attracts positive so if we can remain positive around our intentions we can help set them into motion.

10) Develop an intention team. Find people who you can share your intentions with. Sharing is critical. When you share you are not only helping to make them real, but you open yourself up to all sorts of potentials. Remember, friends want us to be happy and successful so you may find that they have ideas and or means to help make your intention a reality. Also, don't be afraid to ask your intention team to support you by holding you accountable to the action items you set.

And lastly, believe in YOU! There is nothing you can’t do.

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