Set A Drishti for the New Year

It’s the New Year, which for many of us kick-starts a January filled with self-reflection, resolution making and goal setting for all we want to accomplish in the year ahead.

Making and keeping New Year’s resolutions is hard work, though. We start out strong and determined, and then somehow life seems to take over or we lose our motivation. But why?

Setting a resolution can be daunting because it focuses on what we must do or what we must change about ourselves. Those are pretty big expectations to fill. What if this year, we made it a little easier on ourselves?  Instead of setting resolutions, what if we focused on setting our drishti?

In our yoga practice, “drishti” is the act of bringing our gaze to a point of focus. Focus helps us find balance and gives us the opportunity to concentrate on our true intentions. It helps us come back to center when our energy begins to waver and reminds us to live our best, most authentic self in that moment.  

By setting our drishti, it helps us find greater joy in the moment, celebrate small wins and keeps us motivated - so that we can reach the goals we’ve set out to accomplish without getting overwhelmed. 

So what exactly does setting a drishti look like? Start by focusing on your intentions instead of the end goal. For example, if your goal is to get into headstand, set your drishti and then focus on the first step, which in this case would be aligning your hips over your shoulders.

Once you’ve set your drishti on something, here are a couple tips for staying in focus.

• Stay Present In The Moment. Remember to stop and have gratitude for where you are now. Don't get so fixated on the destination that you forget to enjoy the journey.

• Forgive the wobbles. Keeping focus and balance is hard. You’re going to wobble (or even fall!) from time to time. That’s okay. Take a deep breath and focus on finding your drishti again.

• Meditate on it. Take a few minutes every day to refocus on your drishti. Remember why you set your intentions for the New Year and show gratitude to yourself for the effort you’re putting in.

Remember, focusing on how your are spending your time will ultimately help you get to those bigger resolutions you’ve set out for yourself. Be kind to yourself and celebrate the small wins. Happy New Year & Happy drishti setting!