• 8 Limbs of Yoga
  • Yoga Themes
    • Ahimsa
    • Abundance
    • Authenticity
    • Balance
    • Contentment
    • Courage
    • Discipline
    • Find Your Passion
    • Forgiveness
    • Gratitude
    • Guru
    • Intention
    • Om
    • Service
    • Shadow Work
    • Simplicity
    • Sthira & Sukha: Steadiness & Ease
    • Truth
    • Understanding Samskaras
  • Yoga Chat
  • About
  • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Share Yoga

You are here: Home / yoga / Your Future Self: Setting Intentions

Your Future Self: Setting Intentions

in yoga on 01/01/17

Just as one might set an intention before a yoga practice, setting an intention for the new year sets a trajectory for where one would like to go in the future. During this time, reflecting on the past and planning for the future helps to clearly define goals. And, though the holidays seem to be spent outside of ourselves and our normal patterns (visiting with family and friends), this time of dark coldness can naturally lead us to become introspective.

Just as one might set an intention before a yoga practice, setting an intention for the new year sets a trajectory for where one would like to go in the future.

Click To Tweet

Whether taking this time now or in the future, I encourage you to look within yourself and set an intention for the next moment, week, month, or year of your life. What will it take to become the person you’ve always dreamed of being? Below are some questions, meditations, and videos to help you become your best future, awakened, happy self. Use the resources you feel most pertain to your life, this is not a one-size-fits-all, but a take-as-you-need guide to setting intentions.

May your life be filled with joy, happiness, and freedom. May we all be happy and free.

Happy New Year

2017

Our intention creates our reality. Wayne Dyer

Our intention creates our reality. Wayne Dyer

Our intention creates our reality. Wayne Dyer

Click To Tweet


Practice #1

Reflect, Weed out, Move Forward; Who doesn’t need one less energy sucking moment? How about more energy giving!

(Using a journal or pencil and paper are beneficial)

First, identify what’s working in your life. These could be things you do for yourself that make you happy, supportive relationships, weekly or daily events that support health. List at least 3.

Next, identify what’s not working. This could be anything; Events, people, jobs, living situations, you name it! If it doesn’t feel right or it throws you into a cycle of pain or aversion, put it on the list. Even if it’s something you cannot change, write it down. There is relief from pain just by acknowledging its presence.

From the list above, choose two or three items you could change or discontinue in your current life. It could be simple life changes such as deciding not to discuss a certain topic with a loved one, deciding to begin looking for a new job, going to a different gym, or deciding to say ‘No’ more often. Then, write the two or three commitments down.

  • I will begin (or discontinue) ______________________. This will benefit me because ___________________.

You have now found ways to create a happier life for yourself. Even the smallest changes in our everyday life have profound positive effects.


Practice #2

See it, Feel it, Know it

Take a minute (7 minutes to be exact) and listen to Tara Brach’s Your Future Self Meditation. Then, using a pencil and paper, reflect on the following questions:

  • Describe how the presence of your future self felt? Was is pleasant? Uncomfortable? Calm?
  • What was your future self’s message?
  • What needs to change in your life to get you to become your awakened future self? What barriers are in your path? People, locations, financial obstacles? Physical or mental hindrances? List at least 3.
  • Choose one (or more) of the items on the list you can change or do differently to begin on the path towards your most awakened heart or to reaffirm the path.

Now, say your intention in the present tense.

  • This year I will do _______________ to move toward the past of my most awakened, happy self. 

Remember, it isn’t the finish line you are striving for, but the individual steps taken along the way.

Do something today that your future self will thank you for!


Resources for a happy, joyful, AWESOME you!

live-awake-2

Sarah Blondin: Make it Sacred

Sarah Blondin: Accepting Change

Sarah Blondin: Heeding the Call of your Soul

Tara Brach: Your Future Self Meditation (7 minutes)

Thich Nhat Hanh’s 4 Mantra Video on Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday (3 minutes) 

Thich Nhat Hanh’s “I Have Arrived” Produced by Plum Village (1 minute 30 seconds)

vector-happy-new-year-2017-with-glitters-copy

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Caitlin Renz
Caitlin Renz
Author Caitlin Renz is an educator, yoga instructor, and writer of the blog Good Vibes Idaho. Her life goal is to inspire others to take risks, believe in, and ultimately become their best selves. It is her desire to encourage and support your journey to living well.
Caitlin Renz
Latest posts by Caitlin Renz (see all)
  • A Deeper Look at the 8 Limbs of Yoga - April 13, 2017
  • Spring Detox: Daily Routines to Optimize Health - April 5, 2017
  • Your Future Self: Setting Intentions - January 1, 2017
« The Guru Within: The Turtle Power of Self-Trust
Spring Detox: Daily Routines to Optimize Health »

Comments

  1. Darla BrownDarla Brown says

    January 1, 2017 at 1:52 pm

    Try these great practices right after your meditation practice when you’re in a self-reflective period. Very powerful!

Yoga Inspiration

Yoga, An Inner Guru and You

Get Your Hands Dirty! – A Yogi’s Take on Selfless Service

Why You’re Not Practicing Yoga Consistently (And What You Can Do About It)

How a Yoga Practice Can Take Your Health Up a Notch

Samskaras, emotional eating & choosing your destiny

On the Daily: Creating Space for your Yoga and Meditation Everyday

The Dark Side of the Yoga Mat

Yoga for back and joint pain, and a few food quips

Finding your way hOMe

Dharma and the Nine Distractions

Recent Posts

  • Origin of the Asanas
  • Why I don’t take my yoga hot and sweaty
  • 10 Proven Ways to Boost Your Happiness
  • A Deeper Look at the 8 Limbs of Yoga
  • Spring Detox: Daily Routines to Optimize Health

Share Yoga Contributors

avatar for
avatar for
avatar for
avatar for
avatar for
avatar for
avatar for
avatar for
avatar for
Jill Paschal
avatar for
avatar for
avatar for
avatar for

Yoga Resources

Share Yoga Book Club: Now Reading
Yoga Resources We Like: Kirtans, Websites, Events & More
Yoga Teachers We Like
Ayurveda Resources We Like
Yoga Books We Like
Body Workers We Like

Recent Comments

  • Darla Brown on Your Future Self: Setting Intentions
  • Darla Brown on Om: A Poem about Mindfulness
  • Natalia Robb on Om: A Poem about Mindfulness
  • Caitlin on Om: A Poem about Mindfulness
  • Heather-Joan Warner on Om: A Poem about Mindfulness

Instagram

shareyoga

Share the Om. #wellbeing #yoga #meditation #shareyoga

Share Yoga
A human being is part of the whole, called by us “Universe,” a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest – a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole [of] nature in its beauty” — Albert Einstein, 1950  See  https://www.shareyoga.com/meditation/spirit/are-you-practicing-the-law-of-love/ #yoga #compassion #love #alberteinstein #consciousness
Been there! #Repost @arrowheartyoga with @get_rep Been there! 
#Repost @arrowheartyoga with @get_repost
・・・
❤️💛💚💙💜💘🌱
#peace #love #yoga #arrowheartyoga #arrowheartfamily #ojaivalley #ojai #practice #meditation #stretch #strengthen
The only relevant yoga is “your yoga”. #sharey The only relevant yoga is “your yoga”. #shareyoga #yoga #sharetheom
❄️ Happy Winter Solstice ❄️ #wintersolstic ❄️ Happy Winter Solstice ❄️ #wintersolstice #shareyoga #sharetheom
Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.⠀
~Rumi⠀
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~⠀
#summerofyoga⠀
#throatchakra⠀
#shareyoga⠀
#yogalove⠀
#yogalife ⠀
#yogachallenge⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
http://buff.ly/2tpRnWJ
Do practice while you can. You'll need it when you Do practice while you can. You'll need it when you can't. ~Krishna Das⠀
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~⠀
#summerofyoga⠀
#shareyoga⠀
#yogalove⠀
#yogalife ⠀
#yogachallenge⠀
#yoga⠀
#krishnadas⠀
⠀
⠀
http://buff.ly/2t1Tehc
Follow on Instagram
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Popular Posts

Origin of the Asanas

Why I don’t take my yoga hot and sweaty

Boost Your Happiness

10 Proven Ways to Boost Your Happiness

Copyright © 2021 ShareYoga - Share the om