New Year, True You: Setting Intentions Through a Somatic Lens
“This life is mine alone. So I have stopped asking people for directions to places they’ve never been.”
-Glennon Doyle
The start of a new year often brings with it the societal pressure to "re-invent" ourselves. We're bombarded with messages that suggest what we were doing before wasn’t enough—pushing us to be better, do more, and become something different. But, let’s be honest: traditional New Year’s resolutions can sometimes feel like setting ourselves up for failure. Lofty goals, unrealistic timelines, and all-or-nothing thinking often pull us away from authenticity and flexibility. What if we re-imagined this process? What if instead of focusing on fixing or changing, we focused on honoring ourselves?
In somatic work, there are two principles that stand out: titration and pendulation. Titration is about exploring experiences slowly and gradually, taking on small, manageable pieces at a time. Pendulation involves moving between tension and relaxation to develop a sense of balance and self-regulation. When you think back to past New Year’s resolutions, did they include these ideas? If not, you’re in good company—90% of people abandon their resolutions by mid-February, often because they set overly ambitious goals. That’s why this year, I propose something different: ditch traditional goal-setting entirely and embrace intention setting.
Unlike goals, which focus on specific outcomes and the future, intentions ground us in the present moment. They’re about aligning with your values, nurturing your relationship with yourself and others, and creating a meaningful connection to the world around you. For example, instead of resolving to follow a rigid gym schedule, an intention might be “to move my body more.” This allows for flexibility and embodiment—titrating movement into your life with activities like dancing, walking, or yoga, and practicing pendulation by letting your energy ebb and flow. By setting intentions, you’re not chasing an idealized version of yourself—you’re embracing the true you, one step at a time. This New Year, let’s celebrate who we are while gently leaning into growth. Dive Deeper Into Yourself with this 30 minute “New Beginnings ” Yoga Sequence.
