As we enter the new year, many people will be making new year’s resolutions. Many of these resolutions are quickly forgotten or given up within the next few months, but maybe art-making can help with this.
At times, I have ignored this tradition because it so often feels like a waste of time or like I keep repeating myself year after year. It can be easy to become cynical about new year’s resolutions, but I find that there can be value in taking time to think about my life, what I hope to change, what I would like to keep the same, and what I hope to accomplish.
This year I decided to take a new approach by using art to express my intentions for the coming year. As an art therapist, I have had clients create art pieces about their goals or about their new year’s resolutions, but I have not often done this for myself. I thought that I would share my project in the hopes that it will inspire others to use creativity to express their goals, resolutions, and intentions for the new year.
For my intentions for the new year, I considered both my resolutions for how I would like to live, as well as goals that I would hope to reach in the next year. I searched through my collage material for images and phrases that speak to these resolutions and goals. I created small collage cards of these images and phrases that I have placed in a small box. It is my hope for myself that having a tangible reminder of my resolutions and goals that I can see throughout the year will help me to be more mindful of these things in my life.
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Carolyn Mehlomakulu, LMFT, ATR is a psychotherapist in Austin, Texas who works with children, adolescents, and families. For more information about individual therapy, child counseling, family therapy, and art therapy services, please visit www.therapywithcarolyn.com.
This blog is not intended to diagnose or treat any mental health conditions. All directives, interventions, and ideas should be used by qualified individuals within the appropriate bounds of their education, training, and scope of practice. Information presented in this blog does not replace professional training in mental health, psychotherapy, counseling, art therapy, or play therapy. Although anyone can have a healing experience with art, art therapy requires the direction of a trained art therapist.
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I love your box of intention cards! What a special thing to carry with you into the new year.
Another creative alternative to resolutions that I've come across is choosing a word representative of a theme for the year to come. Just one word– it's supposed to help with focusing. My word for 2013 is "progression". Here's hoping! 🙂
Hi Leah, I love the idea of choosing one word as a theme for the year! I have been thinking about what mine would be and thought that I could add it to the inner lid of my intentions box. Thanks for sharing!