How to Set an Intention
Why I Set Intentions
Every January, I pause to take stock of the previous year to integrate what I want to bring forward and release what I don’t. I also make space to acknowledge what I’ve accomplished. This grounds me in gratitude and allows me to meet the year ahead with an open heart and fresh eyes.
For years, I’ve recommended the same process to my clients. Without this kind of reflection, it’s all too easy to repeat old patterns that no longer serve you.
You may have already spent time reflecting on 2025, but even so, I invite you to follow along with me below and take the opportunity to return to your center.
I’ll share my practice of:
Taking stock of the past year
Setting an intention for the year ahead
Creating a mission statement
I encourage you to move through these exercises slowly, allowing a few days between them. Reflect in a journal or talk things through with a trusted confidant. Remember, you’re taking stock of a full year, and that requires slowing down enough for the lessons to surface.
Taking Stock of the Past Year
Begin by asking yourself:
How are you different now than you were a year ago?
What are 3 of your victories from 2025?
What are 3 things you’re grateful for?
What’s one thing you learned that you want to carry forward?
What’s one thing you want to leave behind?
What’s one way you can be kinder to yourself this year?
How might you be more compassionate toward others?
If you like journaling longhand or using voice memos, keep them close by—they’ll inform your intention for 2026.
Setting an Intention for the Year Ahead
Notice the overarching themes from your reflections. What do you want to expand in your life in the coming year? See if you can distill it into a single word. This word will become your intention for 2026.
Think of this word as an anchor or a seed. When you get off track, this anchor will guide you back to center.
If you’re feeling stuck, take a few moments to sit with your breath. Close your eyes and imagine a silver string gently lifting the back of your head toward the sky, creating space between your vertebrae and a channel for your breath to flow.
Feel your sit bones settling into the earth. Bring your awareness to the center of your pelvic floor and imagine a golden ball of light there. Maybe you see it, maybe you feel it, or maybe you simply know it’s there.
Visualize a ray of light traveling from that golden center through the floor and all the layers of the earth, connecting to its core like the roots of a tree. Allow yourself to ground fully into this moment.
From here, ask yourself what intention you wish to cultivate this year. It might be acceptance, compassion, faith, patience, love, ease, or presence. Let your word bubble to the surface of your awareness.
Now imagine an infinite ball of light descending from above and resting gently at the crown of your head. Feel its warmth with each inhale. And with each exhale, feel that light moving through your body. With each breath, the seed of your intention takes root within.
When you’re ready, bring your attention back to the room and gently open your eyes. Take a few minutes to write down what came through. In one word, what do you want to cultivate over the next year?
Creating a Mission Statement
I like to use my intention as the foundation for a mission statement. For example, one of mine has been: I am supple in my mind, body, and actions. I began with the word supple and allowed the statement to unfold from there.
A mission statement is a mantra for your year. It should be simple and easy to remember so you can return to it daily.