Three Powerful Questions To Ask Yourself When Setting Intentions for the Year Ahead

Whether you’ve already set your intentions (or perhaps you call them goals or even resolutions) for the year or you’re still in the process of figuring them out, there’s something vital you need to do: go deeper! Simply writing down your intetions or even doing some ritual around them is NOTenough!  To create real, lasting change, you need a map—a clear plan that takes into account your motivations, potential challenges, and the systems you’ll need to succeed.

Here are three powerful questions to ask yourself as you refine or create your intentions for the year ahead.

1. Why Do You Want This?

Understanding your "why" is essential. When the excitement of starting something new fades and challenges arise (and they will), your "why" becomes your anchor. It’s what keeps you motivated when things get tough.

Take time to ask yourself:

• What’s driving this desire?

• How will achieving this goal improve my life or align with my values?

• How will life look, feel, be when I achieve this or this intention becomes reality?

Knowing your deeper motivation will help you stay connected to your goals and push through obstacles.  Allow yourself to take a bit of time to close your eyes and really connect in with that future point in time when this is real and allow yourself to feel what it feels like so you can recall that as your motivation.

2. Do You Want This, or Did Someone Tell You to Want This?

In a world full of influencers, societal pressures, and well-meaning advice, it’s easy to set goals that aren’t truly yours. A mentor, parent, church, or society at large might have planted the seed, but is this something you truly desire?

Ask yourself:

• Does this goal resonate with my authentic self?

• Am I pursuing this for my happiness, or because someone else said I should?

• Do I know the difference?

Separating your dreams from external expectations is crucial. Goals that aren’t truly yours often lack the emotional fuel needed to see them through.

3. Have You Tried to Create This Before? What Got in the Way?

Many of us have recurring goals that show up year after year. Maybe you’ve tried to create this change before and didn’t succeed. That’s not a failure; it’s an opportunity to learn.

Reflect on:

• What challenges or obstacles did I face last time?

• How can I plan to overcome those challenges this year?

By identifying patterns and anticipating roadblocks, you can create systems that support your success. For example, if you struggle with staying consistent, consider accountability tools or creating a schedule that aligns with your natural rhythms.

The Power of Mapping It Out

Intentions and goals are powerful, but they need a plan to come to life. Think of your map as the bridge between your dreams and your reality. When you combine clarity of purpose, authentic desires, and a proactive approach to challenges, you set yourself up for success.

Just like a map we use to go hiking, sometimes in life we create a map but it doesn't mean there might not be a metaphorical storm that knocks over a few trees that we have to climb over, or that create a different obstacle that require us to change our path or otherwise improvise.  A map doesn't mean there will be no changes -- it means we're better prepared.

The Invitation

If you’re ready to dive deeper into setting intentions and creating a magickal year ahead, join my free community. Together, we’re exploring ways to refine our goals, design supportive systems, and align our actions with our true desires. Let’s make this year one of clarity, empowerment, and transformation—on your terms.

The journey begins with one question. Are you ready to start?