Resolution vs. Intention

"the what" VS "the why"

"the what" VS "the why"

We all seem to breathe just a little easier in January. And no wonder! Envisioning new goals for a new year is a rejuvenating breath of fresh air. Ahhhh.

I know, I know, lurking behind the scenes are those statistics about New Year's Resolutions. And those pesky stats certainly threaten to tense up our easy breathing and scold us for our optimism. So in the spirit of the season, let’s chat about a topic that might put the ease back into our breath: Resolutions vs Intentions.

You may have heard a yoga teacher begin class by asking you to make an intention. Perhaps you closed your eyes and made a quick goal for the class. What you probably made was a resolution. I like to think of them as the WHAT and the WHY. A resolution is the “what” - it’s our goal. An intention is the “why” - our reason behind that goal.

Who cares, right? Well here’s the breathe easy part. Yoga says all intentions boil down to one thing: connection. Think about one of your new resolutions. Now think about the intention behind it - the “why”. What would this resolution help you connect or reconnect with? A partner? A friend? Your spirituality? Your confidence? Your energy? Your authentic self?

Sure, it’s possible that your resolution could peter-out mid February. But look to your intention to truly see what you accomplish! Every day you work toward that goal, you connect in little meaningful ways. And in matters of the heart, every moment counts. One day matters, let alone a whole week or a whole month!

So breathe easy, friends! Set those goals! Because even if you don’t reach the finish line, your intention is benefiting from every little moment of your journey. And really, what’s more important anyways?

Until next time,

Laura