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My Year of Intentions

Angela Robb's avatar image

By Angela Robb

2 min read

My husband and I attended a yoga class on New Year’s Eve. Our yoga instructor and friend, Rixie, through yoga, guided us to reflect on 2017 and set intentions for 2018. I’m fond of the idea of setting intentions, instead of making resolutions. Intentions are more about determining your way or path of being, for the year. Intentions are focused on how you live each day, instead of setting goals. Being more focused on myself resonates with me. So, I thought I would share some intentions that you may want to consider for this year.

There are many times we hear about self-care, but do we really listen to our “inner selves”? When is the last time you took, even a minute, to quiet your mind and listen to your inner voice? Did it tell you what it needs? If you don’t ask or listen, who will? As part of my intentions, I’ve committed to myself to get up a few minutes earlier, each day, to spend time listening to my inner voice.

Commitment to yourself

Making ourselves a priority is hard for many care partners! I fall into this category. Honor yourself by honoring your needs! My intention is to increase putting my needs first. I need to take more time to ask myself, “Is this good for me?”.

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Finding what works for you

As a care partner's role changes, so do our need to find new tools to deal and cope. Sometimes we forget or are hesitant to find new tools and strategies for ourselves. My intention is that this year, I will take time to evaluate and ask myself if my choices of tools and strategies need any changes.

Giving yourself a break

Be kind to yourself and lower the bar! Does that extra time dusting (or fill in the name of your task here) really need to be done today or could I spend that five minutes caring for myself? Are you setting the bar so high that you are constantly beating yourself up when you miss it? Give yourself some leeway and ask yourself to ease up on your expectations!

Seeking out new resources

Keep your eyes and ears open for new resources, tools, strategies, and new approaches to your caregiving. Always be on the lookout for a new way of doing things. Do you ever meet with other care partners and discuss how they handle things? Exchanging information is a great way to see things in a new light.

More time to consciously appreciate

Life is fast paced, and sometimes we need a reminder to stop and see the beauty in our journey. I know I too need a gentle reminder to be patient, take a pause, and be in awe of my world. It’s very easy to get consumed by the details. We forget to take a moment and breathe! There’s power and peace in even a few moments of silence. This year I’ve decided to recommit myself to my meditation practice. Meditation seems to make me more aware of moments of beauty – which enriches my day.

Best wishes to you in setting some intentions for your year ahead and recommitting to yourself!

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The ParkinsonsDisease.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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