This far into January the “honeymoon phase” of all our ambitions for the New Year has started its decline. Perhaps we feel hopeless, disappointed, and angry with ourselves. I have discovered that this late-January burnout comes from the amount of pressure we put on ourselves with lofty rigid goals that are usually not realistic to our current circumstances. Instead of continuing the pattern what if we went forward with gentle intentions that are light and flexible?
Think about those goals gathering dust in that “forget about” box in the back of your mind. What was it that you were wishing to accomplish with those goals? What do you want? Don’t think about it in terms of what you don’t want. The point is to move forward without overwhelming pressure. When I realize what my intentions are I plant flexible seeds instead of setting rigid iron bars. Take the most popular goal usually of people wanting to lose weight. Instead of a goal to lose 100lbs. Plant the gentle intentions of being more active. What does that look like? It starts with a 10 minute walk everyday and then starts expanding further as the person’s energy level goes up. When iron bars meet pressure they eventually snap whereas a flexible seed will grow around obstacles. Which looking at it in the long run is actually stronger.
By planting gentle intentions we are choosing to consciously remove the weight that we put on ourselves that really are just a form of sabotage. Going through life our goals tend to be about what I don’t want. But by shifting the language just that little bit to what do I want changes everything. To use the previous example instead of just losing that weight and feeling glorious for a bit we actually BUILD habits and success that will go far beyond. When we focus on what we don’t want (like losing weight), our brain stays stuck on the negative. When we focus on what we DO want (like feeling energetic), we create a destination that feels inviting rather than a punishment we have to endure.
To decide to be gentle is not standing still or just making intentions and doing nothing. It means moving in a way that is sustainable in the long term and with manageable steps for the individual.
I allow myself the grace to grow at my own pace, knowing that even the smallest step is still a step forward.
It is possible to maintain a momentum while removing the pressure. By choosing to move with gentle intentions rather than rigid goals you are choosing to go against the grain and for this moment choose how you wish to write your own future.
This is our fourth and final week of January! The mini-blogs this week have been chosen to be the practical tools that you can use to seize this new adventure! Over the next few days, I’ll be showing you exactly how to visualize these intentions through mood boards and flexible planning, so stay tuned!
Let’s whisper these hopes into the universe together!
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The Visual Tools
The Action Tools