It’s that time of year, when talk of New Year’s Resolutions fills the air.  How many of us fall into this frenzy, only to turn back 8 weeks later and realize your resolution has all but dissolved?  There’s a reason for that. Let’s talk about the power of  Intentions vs Resolutions and how making this shift can create and support  long term shifts, so we are actually living the lives we dream of!

Resolutions have been a buzzword for as long as I can remember.  We echo the usual “lose 5 pounds”....”travel more”...”quit my job”... only to feel like we somehow failed along the way.  There’s a reason for that.  Resolutions are hard pass/fail goals, a left brain activity set for the future.   And most times a metric, like a scale, is keeping score.   Goals are about doing, whereas Intentions are about being.

Intentions are based on our values and involve our intuition and emotional bodies. This taps us into our creative frequency.   Think of intentions as a guiding compass, a north star,  that connects us to the present moment to support steps into the life we are manifesting.  Intentions don’t live on the pass/fail spectrum.  We can always turn to our inner compass, our intention to re-align.  Because this act is about aligning ourselves, setting intentions also comes with acknowledging our resistances and where we follow into autopilot.  This provides another catalyst for transformation.  

The power of setting intentions was the bridge from my old way of thinking and living, to now.  The first time I walked into a yoga class, I was just there for the work out.  This was the first time I was asked to set an intention, and truth be told, I internally rolled my eyes as it all felt a little too woo-woo for me. Being asked to set an intention felt foreign, but I gave it a go, and started peeling back the superficial layers, of why I was there

My intention was to feel good in my body.  To feel free.  To feel whole.  To feel peace amidst the chaos.  Every inhale and exhale, I repeated this mantra.  I thought this intention would dissipate after class.  Little did I know, I was creating new neural pathways, laying the blueprint for a new way of thinking. It didn’t take long for me to see my intention have a ripple effect off of my mat and into my everyday life.  This intention became my compass when making decisions.  “Does this decision make me feel good in my body?  Does it make me feel free and whole?  Is this adding to our taking away my peace?”  My intention gave me an anchor into  the present moment, guiding my decisions to live a life that felt good in my body and soul.  There was no pass/fail. If I made a decision that wasn’t aligned with my intention, there was a lesson and an opportunity to shift courses. 

Wild Heart Yoga is a reflection of the power that setting intentions.   My intentions led me away from toxic relationships, and jobs that no longer felt rewarding.   Intention gave me insight, courage, trust, and guided me back on a path of feeling inspired and excited.   Experiencing the power of yoga, the ancient and wise teachings of being present, and all of the ways they supported my journey through joy, grief, darkness, and light, my heart led me here.  To open a space where other’s could come, just as they are, to get curious about the infinite possibilities within.  To begin with the simple act of setting an intention at the beginning of each class.   

Our annual INTENTION SETTING DAY RETREAT is  Sat, Dec 30TH 2-6PM 

Tap into community, movement, breath, and connection with a 

  • workshop on setting meaningful intentions

  • sacred practice

  • holotropic breathwork and meditation

  • Angel and oracle cards

  • cacao ceremony

  • sound healing experience

Intention setting is something we can do each day as an active act of manifesting our dreams into reality.   The New Year provides an opportunity to have an even deeper conversation with ourselves on how we want to show up in the world.  Ask yourself “How do I feel?  What do I need?  What inspires me?” This is the space from which intentions are born.   And remember, just like you, your intentions can evolve and change throughout the year.  

In Wild Gratitude,

Marybeth