Setting Intentions For 2015

Welcome back and happy New Year. I've been on hiatus the past few weeks. It's been nice to take a step back and reflect on 2014 and prepare for 2015. During that time, I caught up on my magazines and lowered the pile a tad (or thought I did until the February issues arrived in my mailbox yesterday). I did lots of yoga. I spent time with my daughter A, my son D and my boyfriend L.

I experienced some setbacks when my BFF L had a stroke over the holidays. It was a scary time, but she is an amazing woman and is already back on her feet. My role as a caregiver jumped in—ready to help a friend in need. It's episodes like this that remind me to live in the present and enjoy each moment. (My own severe neck pain also alerted me to slow down and take care of my body. Thankfully the neurologist gave me a shot of cortisone yesterday to calm the muscles and nerves in my head. I remember when my mom had cortisone shots in her back and now it is happening to me. Welcome to aging.)

The Four Intentions by Deepak Chopra

"Did you make up those four intentions?" I asked my yoga teacher P at our class on the last day of December.

"Aren't the words wonderful? They are from Deepak Chopra," said P.

I went home and quickly Googled the words. I didn't have to go far—the intentions were in my inbox in a yet-to-be-opened email newsletter from The Chopra Center. I read each motivating mantra aloud several times. Here are the four intentions from Deepak Chopra, MD:

• I want a joyful, energetic body.
• I want a loving, compassionate heart.
• I want a restful, alert mind.
• I want lightness of being.

These four intentions are going to be my guiding light for the next 12 months. Maybe they will make you think differently in 2015 as well.

As Dr. Chopra says, "By offering the universe an intention and repeating it every day, you can accomplish two things. First, you will train your brain to adapt to a new way of thinking. Second, you will begin to identify with a higher vision of your life. A spiritual life should contain skills that lead to practical changes, and using the power of intention is one of the most valuable skills you can master. There are countless things a person can want, but being consistent for a whole year with four basic intentions gives you a greater chance for success, because these intentions don't run into inner obstacles."

Working on My Body, Mind and Spirit
I am going to do as Dr. Chopra says and work on my body, mind and spirit in 2015. If you want to join me, I encourage you to read Dr. Chopra's blog post: For the New Year, Do Something Better Than a Resolution. I plan to print this post and pin it on my bulletin board in my office. Maybe I will also make a poster or design a creative print with the four intentions and display them in each room of my house so I can reread them every day.

"There is a flow that is natural to everyone's life, and what you are intending here is to replace resistance, disorder, effort, and struggle with an easier way of living," says Dr. Chopra.

I'm raising a glass of water (no champagne, just filtered water to hydrate my body). Cheers to Dr. Chopra! Cheers to the four intentions! Now it's time to let the river flow.

Happy 2015 to all!

This post originally appeared on aboomerslifeafter50.com.