The New Year often brings a sense of possibility, and with it, resolutions about how we want to improve our lives. But for many people, those resolutions begin to feel heavy or discouraging by mid-January. What if there were a more compassionate way to approach change?
For Tamara Greenberg, a clinician with Bunzl-Wilner Clinical Services, that shift begins by replacing resolutions with intentions.
How Setting Intentions Supports Real, Lasting Change
While resolutions are common, they’re rarely sustainable. In fact, only about 1% of people maintain them for an entire year. Fortunately, there is a more effective and compassionate alternative: setting an intention.
Resolutions often encourage an all-or-nothing mindset. For example, a common resolution for many people focuses on weight loss.
“Say you set a resolution to lose 20 pounds by May 30th, and within a few days of this resolution you make a mistake. Maybe you skip a workout or two, or you eat something that wasn’t on your diet,” says Tamara. “For many people, this is where you feel bad about yourself and give up. More often than not, a resolution makes us feel negative and teaches us that we can't succeed.”
Intentions, by contrast, focus on identity and values rather than outcomes. “A resolution is based in the external, ‘I want to lose twenty pounds,’” explains Tamara, “whereas an intention is internal, ‘I want to become a healthy person.’ Intentions allow for missteps and grace, and allow us to change slowly — which we know is the best way to make lasting change.”
Using Therapy to Live with Purpose and Intention
Intentions can begin with how you want to feel, and therapy can help you clarify and return to that feeling over time.
“I wanted to feel more peace in 2025, so I chose a theme word — 'peaceful,'” shares Tamara. Making intentions visible is key, she notes: “Life gets busy and our brains don't always remember our intentions, so it's very important to write them down and put them somewhere noticeable so we remember throughout the year.”
In a therapeutic setting, clients can explore what that intention looks like in daily life and notice when they’ve slipped into reaction rather than intention.
“Very often, we get into a reactive way of living,” Tamara explains. “We don't live proactively; life happens to us versus us making life happen.”
Taking time to set and revisit an intention, especially with the support of a clinician, is a meaningful way to live with greater purpose and clarity. As you consider the year ahead, you might pause before making another resolution and ask instead: what do you want more of in 2026, and what small steps can help you get there?
Counseling isn’t just for moments of crisis; it can be a powerful guide for living intentionally and aligning your life with what matters most. Bunzl-Wilner Clinical Services is here to support you as you live your life with purpose.