As the calendar turns and the world collectively whispers “New Year, New You,” it can feel like there’s pressure to reinvent yourself overnight. The diet industry roars to life, promising transformation if you just follow their rules. Social media is filled with lists of resolutions that look impossible to obtain rather than anything supportive or sustainable.
But here’s the truth: you don’t need a new you. You need a gentler relationship with the you that’s already here.
And that’s why this year, instead of making resolutions, I want to invite you to make intentions.
Resolutions Are Rigid. Intentions Are Rooted.
Resolutions often sound like:
- “I will stop…”
- “I will finally…”
- “This year I must…”
They tend to be all-or-nothing, fueled by dissatisfaction and self-judgment. And for someone healing their relationship with food, body, or self, rigid goals can echo the same perfectionism your eating disorder once demanded.
Intentions, on the other hand, meet you exactly where you are. They’re rooted in values, not pressure. They guide rather than control. They support growth rather than demand achievement.
Resolutions say:
“You’re not enough – fix it.”
Intentions say:
“What changes can you make to improve on who you are already?”
Why Intentions Support Recovery
Intentions allow for flexibility, self-compassion, and attunement – three qualities that strengthen recovery instead of sabotaging it.
Intentions evolve with you.
If your capacity shifts (because life does that), your intention shifts, too. No failure attached.
Intentions build inner trust.
They encourage tuning inward rather than outsourcing your worth to a checklist.
Intentions dismantle the “start over Monday” trap.
There’s no starting over – only returning, without judgment, to what you care about.
Intentions work with your nervous system, not against it.
Rigid goals activate threat. Intentions activate presence.
How to Create Heart-Centered Intentions for the New Year
Here are prompts to help you move into the new year with clarity instead of criticism:
1. “How do I want to feel this year?”
Grounded? Connected? Peaceful? Nourished? Energized? Supported?
Let your intention rise from the feeling, not the outcome.
2. “What values do I want to live from?”
Joy, rest, courage, honesty, freedom, compassion – choose what aligns with your healing.
3. “What tiny practices move me closer to that?”
Instead of “I’ll stop body checking,” the intention becomes:
“I intend to treat my body with curiosity instead of judgment.”
Instead of “I’ll eat perfectly,” try:
“I intend to nourish myself consistently and gently.”
Instead of “I’ll be confident,” maybe:
“I intend to speak to myself with kindness.”
Small shifts → big change.
Examples of Recovery-Aligned Intentions
- I intend to choose compassion over criticism.
- I intend to come back to myself when I feel overwhelmed.
- I intend to nourish my body without negotiation.
- I intend to rest without guilt.
- I intend to let my worth be inherent, not earned.
- I intend to take up space – emotionally, physically, spiritually.
These are not rules. They are reminders of who you are becoming.
A Final Note: You Don’t Need to Earn a New Year
There is nothing about you that needs to shrink, harden, or start over on January 1st.
Whether you’re actively in recovery, solid in your healing, or somewhere in between, the turning of the year isn’t a test. It’s simply an invitation.
Not to change who you are – but to live more fully in the truth of who you’ve always been.
This year, set intentions that honor your humanity, not resolutions that punish it.
Set goals that breathe.
Set goals that bend.
Set goals that feel like coming home.