The Drishti Method For New Years Resolutions

How many of us set New Year's resolutions for 2022 and what are we thinking for 2023? 

Below we have provided some food for thought as to why so many of our resolutions go unresolved. Let’s look at what we may all be guilty of doing and how to approach the process this time around. We usually begin by making a mental note or journaling our ‘promise to do something differently in the New Year’. In other words we create another pressure to add to the list of expectations compiled not only by others but ourselves; which can lead us down a rabbit hole when we fall short. In this blog we will specifically be exploring how we can apply our ‘drishti’ off the mat. Drishti is a Sanskrit word that translates to a view, gaze, or point of focus used during meditation or whilst holding a yoga pose.

Many might be reading this and want to know how highlighting a point of focus might differ from setting a resolution. A call to roll out our yoga mat and move our bodies ignites from an awareness within, in other words, we decipher how we feel in that moment and take action. The difference between regimented goal setting and being mindful of our focal points lies simply in our approach to action; we make ourselves aware of internal and external influences. Here at Beam we believe this is far more effective than being tied to a goal/challenge with a promise/consequence which inevitably ends in a feeling of failure if we lack the forethought. Instead, we suggest taking the edge off by choosing a drishti and practising compassion when we steer away from time to time. In the long term, redirecting our gaze back to the focus point when distractions/complications arise may result in a higher likelihood of staying on track and productivity.

Now, that’s not to say that challenging yourself is a bad thing! In fact, we consider it very healthy and imperative to overall growth as a human; however, it’s the motions we go through during these struggles that we are quick to forget about when overcome by our feelings. In a 30 day challenge there’s an obvious pressure not to miss one day and when ‘life happens’ we get really caught up on the day/action we missed. Our automatic response might be to give up and call ourselves lazy or inconsistent, forgetting to be compassionate about how perfectly imperfect we are just because we set a resolution for an ideal version of us. Sometimes, we find it easier to use humour to deflect and make justifications as to why another resolution will stay unresolved rather than looking in/outward to figure out how to get back on track. The idea of calling it a “drishti” instead of a “resolution” invites a softer approach which helps us enter the New Year with both concentration and balance. We still hold ourselves accountable but remember that growth is not a steady straight line, we are supposed to ride the wave.

Here is a classic example that we can transform using the drishti method:

Most of us go into the new year with a strict resolution of ‘eating cleaner’ or ‘to lose that Christmas weight we put on’. But how many of our fridges and cupboards will still be stocked to the brim 1 week into January with leftovers and other delicious temptations? 

Clearly we can see that setting New Year's resolutions for the 1st might just be impractical; the drishti approach alternatively focuses on weaning out these eating habits that we created over the festive period starting from the next food shop. Putting all of the above into practice we can train our gaze on our current habits and what influences them in such a way that transforms how easily we can get back on track and hold onto new ones. 

We wish you all a productive but perfectly imperfect 2023!