ARTICLE BY MARYBETH BRADY
INTENTIONS ARE THE NEW RESOLUTIONS How many of us fall into a frenzy of change every January, only to realize a few weeks later our resolutions have all but dissolved? There’s a reason for that. Intentions not Resolutions create and support long term shifts, explains the Founder/ Director of All Things Wild and Wild Heart Yoga
Resolutions have been a buzzword for as long as I can remember. We echo the usual “lose 5 pounds,” “travel more,” or “quit my job” only to feel like we somehow failed along the way. There’s a reason for that. Resolutions are hard pass/fail goals, a leftbrain activity set for the future - a metric, like a scale, often keeping score. Goals are about doing. Intentions are about being. Intentions are based on our values and involve our intuition and emotional bodies. This taps us into our creative frequency. Think of intentions as a guiding compass, a north star, that connects us to the present moment to support steps into the life we are manifesting. Because this act is about aligning ourselves, setting intentions also comes with acknowledging our resistances and where we follow into autopilot. This provides another catalyst for transformation. The first time I walked into a yoga class, I was just there for the work out. This was the first time I was asked to set an intention, and truth be told, I internally rolled my eyes as it all felt a little too woo-woo for me... but
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I gave it a go, and started peeling back the superficial layers of why I was there. My intention was to feel good in my body. To feel free. To feel whole. To feel peace amidst the chaos. Every inhale and exhale, I repeated this mantra. I thought this intention would dissipate after class. Little did I know, I was creating new neural pathways, laying the blueprint for a new way of thinking. It didn’t take long for me to see my intention have a ripple effect off of mat and into my everyday life. This intention became my compass when making decisions. “Does this decision make me feel good in my body? Does it make me feel free and whole? Is this adding to our taking away my peace?” My intention gave me an anchor into the present moment, guiding my decisions to live a life that felt good in my body and soul. If I made a decision that wasn’t aligned with my intention, there was a lesson and an opportunity to shift courses. My intentions led me away from toxic relationships, and jobs that no longer
felt rewarding. Intention gave me insight, courage, trust, and guided me back on a path of feeling inspired and excited. Experiencing the power of yoga, the ancient and wise teachings of being present, and all of the ways they supported my journey through joy, grief, darkness, and light, my heart led me here. To open a space like Wild Heart Yoga, where others could come, just as they were, to get curious about the infinite possibilities within. Intention setting is something we can do each day to actively manifest our dreams into reality. The New Year provides an opportunity to have a conversation with ourselves on how we want to show up in the world. “How do I feel? What do I need? What inspires me?” This is the space from which intentions are born. And remember, just like you, your intentions can evolve and change throughout the year. For more information, go to wildheartyogaaustin.com