I have a secret obsession with motivational quotes. I guess it’s not really a secret -- if you know me, you know I have them everywhere. They are taped to my desk, on my mirror, I even have some permanently on my body…words are my power. There is something about the way a perfectly crafted positive message sticks with you and uplifts your soul -- even on the darkest days.

But words are only powerful if you embrace them. So as we were starting to prepare for the new year, I was questioning myself on why I even bothered to make another set of resolutions that I already knew I would fail to keep. I mean, let’s be honest, how many of us actually keep them for the whole year? And don’t even bother making up an excuse, I'm sure we all have good intentions.

Intention -- now there's a powerful word. To be fair, I used to think that only intending to do something wasn’t good enough, but then I stumbled upon a whole different perspective. One of my favorite bloggers and total girl boss, Ashlina at The Decorista, introduced a concept in 2014 that I fell in love with. Instead of making resolutions you won’t keep, how about choosing an intention for 2017.

What does that even mean?

Not everyone will do this the same way, even I differed from Ashlina’s original outline, but the overall process is easy to follow and you will find it to be so much more fulfilling than a year of unmet goals.

Create Your 2017 Intention

1. Set aside some time to be by yourself.

Find a quiet place where you will be able to reflect and think. Be sure to have a piece of paper and a pen with you.

2. Close your eyes and take slow deep breaths.

Picture a door - any door, a beautiful door! The knob, the decor, admire every detail, behind that door lies your new year - don’t open it just yet though!

3. Once you have your door visualized -- it’s time to pick a word(s) that relates to you.

Ashlina used “Abundance, Passion, & Growth” on her entry, while I have chosen "Mindfulness & Passion". You don’t need to pick a hundred words, try to sum up your goals into something simple.

For example:

(word)Mindfulness

(goals associated) improve communication skills with my peers, spend less time on electronics, be more present in the now, improve time management, etc.

4. Once you have your word(s), it’s time to write your intentions.

And once you finish that, put them everywhere just like those quotes - on your mirror, on your desk, (maybe don’t tattoo them on yourself but hey, I’m not your mom). Repeat them over and over, both mentally and out loud, hold yourself accountable for making good on them. If you fall short, you have your door. That’s why you need to have it pictured vividly, it will stay with you, always ready to be reopened if needed.

My Intentions for 2017:

Passion |The world has given me creativity and I will not let it go to waste. I am an artist. I stand before infinite possibilities and will accept the challenges that come with them. I will not shy away from speaking my mind. I trust in my heart that I can achieve great things with hard work.

Mindfulness |The world swells at my fingertips. I am confident that the universe is guiding me down the right path, but I know I have the ability to be more in the present. By doing so, I will form stronger bonds. I will continue to work hard, but give myself permission to say “No”. I will choose to be happy and not allow myself to become overwhelmed.