My New Year intention – to be kinder to myself and live in harmony with the seasons

January is the traditional time to kick off new resolutions and start the year how we mean to go on. This year I’ve decided to reframe how I look at this and try something different.

It all started when I went on a shopping trip during the strange limbo-land between Christmas and New Year. I wandered into The Works (a shop which stocks books, puzzles and craft kits) for a browse. I ended up buying a Health and Happiness Vision Board kit and a book – Sacred Seasons by Kirsty Gallagher.

My brain was in need of some exercise after the previous few days of festivities, so I decided to get started that evening. I worked my way through the exercises in the vision board kit and noticed certain themes cropping up:

• I love to move – especially in nature
• Spending time with family is important to me
• I need to learn how to let go, stop rushing and look after myself

I then completed my vision board using the kit plus some of my own affirmations and thoughts. I will reflect on this every day to remind myself what’s important to me.

Top tip
Ask yourself why you are setting yourself specific goals – do they align with your most important values?

Seasonal living

The next part of my intention is to live in tune with the natural world around me. Sacred Seasons is a handbook which explains how to find balance and connection with the seasons.

The beginning of January falls in the middle of the Start-of-Winter Astronomical Season. This season is the time for:

• Rest and hibernation
• Reflection
• Planning and expanding horizons

It’s no wonder we all have a yearning to set resolutions (and get plenty of rest)!

In the Start-of-Winter section of the book I found some practices which I will incorporate into my daily life, such as getting daily fresh air and connecting with nature.

My favourite place to walk is my local nature reserve – I love noticing the changing seasons there and will incorporate that into my seasonal living.

Intentions, resolutions and goals

By doing the above two activities, I was able to find out what I actually wanted and needed to do, rather than setting myself goals without knowing why.

I’ve also decided to set intentions rather than resolutions. 

Intention = a thing intended, an aim or plan
Resolution = a firm decision to do, or not to do something

An intention feels more mindful and purposeful to me – something to be consciously worked on at all times. A resolution feels quite narrow and rigid, with no room to adapt or grow.

Intentions on their own are not enough though – goals are needed to actually make things happen!

My intentions align with my values, and each has goals within it:

1. Look after my health
   • Move my body daily
   • Eat healthily
   • Sleep 8 hours every night
2. Enable family happiness
   • Daily family time
   • Daily connection with nature
   • Weekly creativity and learning time
3. Nurture inner harmony
   • Daily mindfulness time
   • Weekly pampering time
   • Pause – stop rushing, let go of what doesn’t serve me and say no sometimes!

I’m introducing the goals gradually, using a weekly journal to keep track of what’s working and when to start new goals.

Top tip
Don’t try to do everything at once – allow each new behaviour to become a natural habit before moving on to the next goal.

Looking ahead

I plan to post my progress and updates as we move through each season – so look out for my next post later in January as we move into Mid-Winter Season!

I hope you have fun during this exciting time – planning for possibilities and living seasonally! Why not check out my article on Building New Habits?