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intentions setting workshop for 2022

Last night, on new year’s eve, I participated in an intentions setting workshop with my wife and son. A yoga studio hosted the remote two-hour session, divided into two parts.

First, the teacher led us in the creation of personal intentions for the new year. Then, we meditated on our intentions through breathing and light yoga.

It’s important to consider the distinction between a resolution and an intention:

• Resolutions tend to be goal-oriented, like losing ten pounds, making a million dollars, cutting out sweets, or working out five times a week. They’re a pass/fail proposition. Resolutions are difficult to maintain past January because after the novelty wears off, effort slips, failure occurs, and motivation vanishes. Resolutions exist on the surface and easily wash away.

• By contrast, intentions are rooted in feelings. They’re an expression of who you are as a person. Unlike resolutions, they’re open ended, such as, lead a healthy lifestyle, connect with kindness, and prioritize music making. Intentions set a path but allow for the inevitable shortfall. They’re a daily guide to actions that make you the person you’d like to be in the world.

The process of writing intentions started with a brainstorm. At the top of my page, I wrote, “What do I want for 2022?” It could have read, “What do I want for my life?” Beneath the prompt, I wrote down areas of priority, growth, and the associated feelings they evoked.

The teacher cautioned against using negative language, such as “don’t yell,” or gradient language, such as “read more.” These constructions bring to mind past failure.

Here’s what I wrote:

• Prioritize creativity. Create things and release them into the world. Share with other people.
• Be present, mindful. Mediation. Awareness. Peacefulness.
• Deepen relationships. Connect with people, listen, care, know about their dreams, help if I can.
• Give my true self to everyone at all times. Glow, radiate. Authentic self = peace.

We then circled words that reflect feelings: peacefulness, presence, care, creativity.

Finally, we distilled our brainstorm into a short mantra. This mantra, if true, will summon the underlying feelings when in thought and practice.

“Create, share, and connect lovingly.”

From the mantra, we made an acronym. CS&CL. The teacher’s acronym lives on his phone’s daily calendar, a reminder each morning at 9:15.

As I meditated on my mantra through the flow of yoga, the vinyasa, my mantra deepened in meaning for me. I found it to be true and applicable to all dimensions of my life.

Before saying goodbye, workshop participants shared their acronyms through the chat. My son: GPS. My wife: CWLC. The studio offers this workshop annually, and we’ll definitely check in next year.

Thank you for reading. I wish you a happy, healthy, and fulfilling new year. I’d love to exchange email with you, if only to say hello.

pietro

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