I’m not a fan of resolutions. I’ve tried them in the past, made lofty goals to be more organized, go to the gym, start drinking water with lemon at every meal, and to stop saying the word ‘like’ whenever I get nervous, but it seems as quickly as I make this list, I am reminded of how hard and daunting it seems to keep these resolutions.

So this year I resolve not to make resolutions. Instead, because I am a big fan of self-improvement, I am setting intentions. According to Yoga Journal, “Setting intention, at least according to Buddhist teachings, is quite different than goal making. It is not oriented toward a future outcome. Instead, it is a path or practice that is focused on how you are “being” in the present moment. Your attention is on the ever-present “now” in the constantly changing flow of life. You set your intentions based on understanding what matters most to you and make a commitment to align your worldly actions with your inner values.” 

The idea of setting an intention makes the experience more personal, more valuable and makes me more present to the task at hand. My intentions for this new year are to celebrate and rejoice in the small stuff, the daily grind, even if requires having more patience while I painstakingly put together my  5 year-old’s 400-piece Star Wars Lego set. Because I know at the end of the day, and the year for that matter, it’s the small things, and our personal attitude and intentions to these small tasks, that have the most lasting and positive effect.