How to set new year intentions you'll keep

Can you believe that there are only three days left in 2016?! Some of us can’t wait to see it go, I’m sure. 2016 was… a lot. To say the least.

I’m so excited about the opportunities to come in the New Year, but there are a lot of things I’m happy to leave in 2016. I’ve been pretty open about some of the struggles and growing pains I’ve gone through this year. I’ve learned a lot about myself, and the best thing to do after learning great lessons is implementing new things and truly growing.

I’ll be taking advance of the long Holiday weekend to really hone in on my 2017 goals and intentions (and to finally finish my 2017 strategic plan for the blog). I figured many of you will be doing the same as the New Year chimes in, so today I wanted to talk about how to set goals or intentions that you’ll actually keep.

Examine yourself first

It’s easy to set big goals or dreamy intentions that look good on paper, but mean little to your current state. Take some time to actually dig deep into where you are now, and where you’d like to go. Your goals and intentions only need to apply to you, so they should be tailored to your needs.

Determine the why

Understanding why you’re doing anything tends to be the best motivation for seeing it through. Get very clear about why you’re setting these goals so you can focus on that when times get tough.

Don’t overwhelm yourself

It’s easy to distance yourself from things you deem unrealistic. If you work full time, have a handful of side projects plus other responsibilities, your time and energy can only be divided so many ways. Create goals and intentions that make sense where you are right now. And limit yourself to a smaller number of goals that can be accomplished in a set time frame.

Build a lifestyle around your intentions

Goals and intentions shouldn’t be things we do but rather a way we live. Creating our routines around the things we hope to accomplish make them seem real and stress their significance. Find small ways to implement your fresh goals and intentions into your everyday.

I’d love to hear what you all are focusing on in the New Year! Leave your 2017 goals and intentions in the comments!