Embodied Intentions for the New Year
Welcome to the new year. It’s winter, a time for slowing down, rest, and reflection.
This is the season of resolutions, big goals, and the familiar pressure to “turn over a new leaf.” For a long time, that’s how I approached January too. The inner “drill sergeant” or “strict teacher” in me would show up with commands:
Stop drinking.
Run more miles each week.
Cut out sugar.
Maybe this voice is familiar? Maybe your resolutions are already falling away?
Over time, I noticed that this approach rarely led to lasting change. It often created extra tension, burnout, or a sense that I was constantly failing myself. What if stepping into a new year didn’t require force or self-criticism? What if it began with listening instead?
Many of us were taught—at school, at work, and in the broader culture—to set goals from a very head-centered place. We make plans and push forward, often overriding the body’s intuition and intelligence in the process.
But our habits are deeply wired into our nervous system. Sustainable change happens when we invite the body into the conversation—when we listen and soften instead of command and control.
I now work with intentions rather than rigid resolutions—intentions that invite in my whole self - mind, body, and spirit. Here are a few I’ve been working with:
I am whole and healthy just as I am.
My days are balanced with work, rest, movement, play, and connection.
I move in flow with my body’s natural energy.
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Here’s a simple practice to try:
First, ask yourself: What would you like to invite more of into this year? How do you want to show up in your life every day?
You don’t need a long list. It could even be one word: flow, joy, laughter, play, balance, presence, focus.
Write it down.
Now, stand or sit in a comfortable, upright position. Take a few slow breaths. Feel your feet on the ground. Allow the chair or the floor beneath you to hold you, and let your body soften. Notice the sensations in your body and let yourself settle.
Close your eyes if that feels comfortable. Place a hand on your heart or your belly. Notice your breath.
Now, speak your intention out loud a few times, slowly.
As you do, notice what happens in your body.
Is there a sense of relaxation or opening?
Is there resistance?
Do certain sensations, emotions, or images arise?
Do you feel it more in one area of your body?
There’s no right or wrong response here. You’re simply listening.
If resistance or tension shows up, that’s valuable information. You might try gently rewording your intention. Or you might choose to stay with the resistance, breathe into it & offering curiosity, love, or comfort.
When setting intentions, I encourage you to focus on what you’re moving toward, rather than what you’re trying to eliminate. A supportive intention often feels like a clear “yes” in the body—maybe with a bit of edge. It’s slightly stretching, a little scary even, but still aligned. As you move forward to your “YES”, those older unhealthy habits much more easily fall away.
Once you have an intention, invite it in & play with it! Creativity and fun reduces the resistance and helps to integrate what’s new.
Turn it into a song to sing when you’re driving or washing the dishes. (“I flow, flow, flow through my life…” to the tune of “Row, row, row your boat!”).
Write it on sticky notes near your computer or mirror.
Draw or write about it with colored pens.
Repeat it out loud or in your head while walking, exercising, or during a movement or meditation practice.
Intentions don’t have to be heavy or intense to be powerful. When they’re embodied, playful, and compassionate, they have a way of unfolding naturally—at the pace your system can truly receive.
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What came up for you in your exploration? If you’re interested in diving deeper into your intentions and having accountability with your year ahead, I’d love to connect!
