A New Approach to New Year's Resolutions

Georgia Pettit
December 6, 2024

Start the Year with the Right Intention

We’re all familiar with the traditional New Year’s resolution lists that often focus on improving finances, fitness, and careers. But, what if instead of focusing on external achievements, we turned this time into an opportunity to work on our inner development? When we commit to personal growth, we’re making a statement: we are willing to see ourselves clearly, embrace self-awareness, and offer ourselves the care and support needed to evolve.

Each of us is unique and complex, shaped by both inherited and learned qualities. These characteristics influence our relationships, interactions, and how we show up in the world. And while we each carry a spectrum of qualities, how we choose to express them defines our character. This year, consider setting resolutions that bring you closer to the best version of yourself—one that’s rooted in love, balance, and a desire to share your growth with others.

What is the Higher Self?  

Our Higher Self is the wise, loving presence within us, a spiritual guide that invites us to express our positive qualities and challenges us to question unhelpful patterns. Living in harmony with our Higher Self allows us to access inner wisdom, purpose, and fulfillment. The Higher Self doesn’t define success in material or conventional terms; rather, it seeks meaningful, lasting joy that comes from personal growth, purpose, and self-awareness.

When we integrate this aspect of ourselves, we begin to act from a place of calm, generosity, and understanding. For example, if generosity is deeply woven into your nature, aligning with your Higher Self can help you express it in balanced and healthy ways. Without this alignment, you might overextend yourself, feeling eager to please rather than truly acting out of generosity.

Through connecting with the Higher Self, we’re reminded that self-improvement is not about achieving perfection or working against ourselves; it’s about finding harmony within.

[higher-self]

Reconsidering Progress and Goals

Goal-setting is often seen as a linear path toward a defined success, but personal growth is much more nuanced. External success can feel rewarding, but without a focus on inner development, it can fall short of bringing real fulfillment. It’s common to carry habits or behaviors that no longer serve us well. While goals like improving our health or career are valuable, they don’t address the subtler side of personal development.

Imagine setting a resolution that focuses not on reaching an endpoint but on creating a steady shift in your attitudes and responses. For example, if you wish to overcome impatience, instead of striving for immediate mastery, you can set an intention to cultivate patience over time. This shift in focus helps create lasting changes in how you approach life’s challenges, ultimately allowing a deeper and more genuine transformation to take place.

Three Steps to Meaningful Growth

Lasting growth isn’t a checklist of to-dos; it’s a journey. These three steps can guide you:

1. Picture Your Success

Start by visualizing yourself as you wish to be. Imagine a scenario that might typically trigger an unhelpful response. Picture yourself responding with a more balanced and empowered attitude. Let the feelings associated with this response—calm, confidence, compassion—fill you up. When you amplify these positive feelings, you increase your capacity to bring this version of yourself into reality.

2. Harness the Power of Intention

Setting a clear intention grounds your journey and acts as a guiding light. Rather than keeping track of every detail, trust in the energy of your intention to keep you focused. To establish a powerful intention:

  - Call on your motivation: Recall why you wanted to make this change. Focus not on the story but on the feeling that drives you.

  -  Tap into a deeper purpose: Allow your Higher Self to remind you of your ultimate goal—to become the best version of yourself or fulfill your life’s purpose.

  -  Apply commitment: Visualize moments of challenge and your choice to stay dedicated. Commitment fosters resilience and a sense of self-trust.

3.  Experience the Result  

Visualize a positive outcome. Imagine how this evolved version of yourself positively impacts your life and the lives of others. Internalize this feeling and let it inspire continued growth.

Exercises for Inner Transformation

To work more directly with these concepts, try this exercise:

1.  Recall a challenging scenario where you tend to react in a way that doesn’t serve you.

2.  Observe your initial response and how it feels emotionally. What impact does it have on yourself and others?

3.  Replay the scene with a more empowered response. Notice any resistance and acknowledge it, moving beyond it with intention.

4.  Hold this new feeling of expanded awareness and see how it alters the situation. Place this sensation in your heart and let go of the exercise.

[heart]

Concluding Thoughts

By setting resolutions that nurture our inner growth, we create a foundation for real change. This year, instead of focusing on what you can achieve, think about who you want to become. How might your year look if you allowed your Higher Self to lead the way?

Consider sharing in the comments: What intention are you setting this year, and how will it help you evolve?

Georgia Pettit
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