Ditch the Resolutions: Why Value-Based Intentions Will Transform Your New Year
The start of a new year often comes with a burst of excitement—a clean slate, fresh goals, and the motivation to conquer it all. You hit the ground running, tackling everything on your list, but somewhere along the way, life happens. Work piles up, plans get disrupted, and those ambitious goals start to feel like an impossible burden.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your goals, fallen off track, and beaten yourself up for it, you’re not alone. This is especially common for those of us who struggle with high-functioning anxiety, stress, or burnout.
What if this year, instead of setting rigid, outcome-driven goals, you focused on value-based intentions? This approach is not only more sustainable but also rooted in who you are, not just what you want to achieve.
Why Goals Alone Don’t Work
When you struggle with high-functioning anxiety, it’s easy to get caught up in doing more, trying harder, and chasing goals you think you “should” achieve—like perfecting your work or keeping up appearances. But often, these goals aren’t aligned with your values; they’re driven by fear of failure or the need to prove yourself.
Traditional goals tend to be:
Externally focused: They’re often influenced by societal expectations rather than your true desires.
Rigid: If you miss a step or life gets busy, it’s easy to feel like you’ve failed.
Destination-oriented: They focus on the end result, overlooking the importance of the process.
For those prone to anxiety or burnout, this can create a cycle of unrealistic expectations and self-criticism.
What Are Value-Based Intentions?
90% of our decisions, actions, and behaviors are driven by the subconscious mind—where our beliefs and values lie. If a belief says, “I’m not good enough,” no goal will stick until that belief is explored and reframed.
Value-based intentions focus on who you want to become and how you want to feel, rather than just what you want to accomplish.
For example:
Instead of “lose 10 pounds,” your intention might be “I want to feel strong and energized in my body.”
Instead of “land a promotion,” your intention might be “I want to align my career with my passion and purpose.”
This shift from “doing” to “being” helps you stay flexible and adaptable throughout the year while remaining true to your core values.
Beliefs → Values → Thoughts → Decisions → Actions
Lasting change begins with your beliefs, which shape your values and influence your thoughts, decisions, and actions.
If you’ve struggled to maintain consistency in the past, it’s worth reflecting on whether your goals are aligned with your authentic self—or if they’re driven by external pressures.
How to Create Value-Based Intentions
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you make this powerful shift:
Step 1: assess different areas of your life
Start by reflecting on the various aspects of your life. Tools like the Life Wheel or Wellness 360 can help you identify these areas, such as:
Physical health
Emotional well-being
Career and finances
Relationships
Personal growth
Fun and recreation
Environment
Step 2: Focus on Your Value and Why
Your v“why” is the anchor that keeps you aligned with your intentions and values. Understand why you want to grow in certain areas of your life. When challenges arise, reconnecting to your why will help you stay motivated and flexible. That’s why resolutions often amplify stress. Without addressing the deeper why, you’re setting goals on top of a shaky foundation.
Step 3: Audit Your current Values and create your core values
Take a moment to pause and reflect on what truly matters to you. You can start by asking:
What are the most important areas of my life (e.g., health, relationships, career, personal growth)?
What do I value most in these areas?
Are these values genuinely mine, or are they influenced by others?
Look at your current values and ask yourself:
Where did this belief or value come from?
Is it serving me, or is it holding me back?
If it’s not aligned with my true self, what belief feels more authentic to me?
Step 4: Set Aligned Intentions
For each area of your life, define an intention that reflects your values and beliefs.
Example:
Goal: “I want to have a six-pack by summer.”
Why: “Because I want to feel healthier and more confident.”
Value: “I value my health and well-being.”
Intention: “I want to move my body regularly and nourish it with care.”
Notice how the intention is adaptable to different seasons of the year. Some months, it might mean yoga or walking. Other times, it could mean rest or gentle movement.
Step 5: Create a Plan That Evolves with You
Unlike rigid goals, intentions allow for flexibility. Life changes, and so will your approach. Your intention to “prioritize my health” might mean meal prepping one month and trying a new fitness class the next.
Why Intentions Are Better for sustainable change
Goals focus on what you achieve. Intentions focus on who you become.
Intentions:
Are internally driven.
Allow for flexibility and adaptability.
Are grounded in your values, making them more authentic and sustainable.
By focusing on intentions, you free yourself from the pressure to be perfect and instead focus on creating a life that feels aligned and fulfilling.
Ready to Start? Download the Workbook & Tracker
To help you create value-based intentions, I’ve designed a workbook and tracker to guide you through the process. It includes:
Exercises to reflect on your values and beliefs.
Tools to create aligned intentions.
A system to track your progress in a sustainable, anxiety-free way.
This Year, Choose Alignment Over Perfection
If traditional goal-setting has left you feeling overwhelmed or stuck, it’s time for a change. Value-based intentions help you create a life that’s true to you, free from the pressure to conform to external expectations.
This year, let’s focus on living intentionally—grounded in your values, driven by your why, and flexible enough to evolve with you.
So, what’s your intention for this year? Let me know in the comments or grab the workbook to get started!
