{"id":1082,"date":"2024-12-23T13:51:28","date_gmt":"2024-12-23T19:51:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.behavioralhealthmn.com\/blog\/?p=1082"},"modified":"2024-12-23T13:51:29","modified_gmt":"2024-12-23T19:51:29","slug":"small-steps-to-begin-the-new-year-with-intention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.behavioralhealthmn.com\/blog\/2024\/12\/23\/small-steps-to-begin-the-new-year-with-intention\/","title":{"rendered":"Small Steps to Begin the New Year with Intention"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>As the year comes to a close, it\u2019s easy to get swept up in the \u201cnew year, new you\u201d mindset. Big resolutions. Endless to-do lists. The pressure to have it all figured out. But what if we took a different approach?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What if, instead of trying to fix everything, we simply paused?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The new year can be a time for reflection. A chance to look back on where you\u2019ve been and choose, with intention, what you want to carry forward. Mindfulness can help you do just that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>1. Look Back with Curiosity<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Grab a pen and paper, find a quiet spot, and ask yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>What are three things I\u2019m proud of this year?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What felt heavy or challenging?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What brought me joy, even in small moments?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Reflecting doesn\u2019t have to mean dwelling on the past. It\u2019s about noticing what worked, what didn\u2019t, and what you can learn from it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>2. Start Small with Intentions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The problem with resolutions is they\u2019re often too big, too fast. Instead, try setting small intentions that feel manageable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cI will make time for five minutes of stillness each morning.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cI\u2019ll focus on being present during one meal a day.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cI\u2019ll pause and take a breath when I feel overwhelmed.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Always remember that small steps add up, and they\u2019re much more sustainable than giant leaps.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>3. Create a Closing Ritual<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Before the year officially ends, create space to let it go. You can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Write a letter to yourself about what you\u2019ve learned this year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Light a candle and take a few deep breaths, reflecting on the growth you\u2019ve experienced.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Let go of what no longer serves you\u2014write it down and tear it up as a symbol of release.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Let this be a gentle goodbye to what\u2019s behind you and a welcoming of what\u2019s ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>4. Be Present in What\u2019s Already Here<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s easy to focus on what needs changing or what\u2019s next, but mindfulness is about slowing down and noticing what\u2019s already good at this moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pause and ask yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cWhat\u2019s one thing I\u2019m grateful for today?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cHow does my body feel at this moment?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cWhat small joy can I notice right now?\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The practice of being present isn\u2019t about perfection\u2014it\u2019s about showing up, one moment at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>5. Move Forward with Compassion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As you step into the new year, remember this: you don\u2019t have to have all the answers, and you don\u2019t have to rush.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Give yourself permission to go slow, to try again, and to take care of yourself along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>Finding Light in The New Year<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re looking for a deeper way to start fresh, join us on <strong>Saturday, January 4th<\/strong> for our <em>Ignite Your Spark Wellness Retreat<\/em> with Kathryn Schuster, LICSW. This 3.5-hour experience will guide you to release limiting beliefs, embrace positive intentions, and reconnect with yourself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plus, you\u2019ll leave with your very own intention bracelet\u2014a reminder to carry your renewed focus into 2025!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Early bird pricing is $75 through December 27th<\/strong>. We\u2019d love to see you there!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/clients.mindbodyonline.com\/asp\/main_enroll.asp?fl=true&amp;tabID=104\" style=\"background-color:#59879e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Reserve Your Spot<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As the year comes to a close, it\u2019s easy to get swept up in the \u201cnew year, new you\u201d mindset. Big resolutions. Endless to-do lists. The pressure to have it&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1083,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[54,2,58],"tags":[38,133,161],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.behavioralhealthmn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1082"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.behavioralhealthmn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.behavioralhealthmn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.behavioralhealthmn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.behavioralhealthmn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1082"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.behavioralhealthmn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1082\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1084,"href":"https:\/\/www.behavioralhealthmn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1082\/revisions\/1084"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.behavioralhealthmn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.behavioralhealthmn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.behavioralhealthmn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.behavioralhealthmn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}