This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at GCU chapter.

2022 is here everyone!! And it looks like it is time for us to get ready for this new year ahead and set our intentions for 2022. It is important for you to stay focused on your goals and to look deeper into what it is that you want.

Before you set intentions for this new year, it can very helpful to reflect on these few questions…

How do you want to spend your time?

Where do you want to focus your attention and energy?

How do you want to feel?

What type of energy do you want to emanate?

Take some time to reflect on the last year, and be sure to set your intentions for 2022 in a positive environment. Here are five practices that can help you connect with yourself, clarify your goals, and set your intentions with purpose:

1. Write a short paragraph of where you are in a year from now

It is suggested that you should visualize yourself first and then write it down. It does not need to be very long. Here are a few guiding questions that could assist you with this:

Where are you?

What do you look like?

What do you feel like?

Who are you with?

What are you doing?

How are you feeling?

Write this wherever you please. Either on paper or type it out! I also recommend saving it somewhere on your phone for easy access so that you can reflect on it and visualize it to be true. Connecting to this vision will help you embody this version of yourself!

2. Practice gratitude for this past year

Shine light, love, and grace on this past year. It was definitely another difficult year for many of us, and it might be hard to have gratitude for it so take your time.

How have you healed and evolved?

What were the highlights?

Where can you acknowledge and express gratitude for the growth you’ve had over the past year?

Where did you find strength through the lows?

Practice gratitude by taking time to reflect and connect with your mind and body. Say a big “Thank you” to yourself and the universe for giving you everything you need to grow.

3. Reflection Journaling: Your honest truth

Where might you still be in survival mode?

How did fear hold you back from embodying your highest self this year?

How will you shine a light, and move into your fear to elevate into the next level version of yourself?

How can you shift those thoughts into the energy of thriving?

4. Goals and dreams breakdown

To be able to move your manifestations into your reality, you need to be able to dream big, believe in them with all your heart, and take action. Write a list of all of your goals and then break them down into these three categories:

1-year goals | 5-year goals | 10-year goals

When you have a plan, it becomes more manageable to take action on your dreams and goals.

5. Creating a Vision Board

Take everything you have learned from reflecting and your intentions for the new year and create a vision board. Find words and images that inspire you – make you feel motivated and alive. Be sure to include everything that you wish to manifest, experiences you are hoping for, and things that you are already grateful for in life. Creating a vision board can help you walk into this new year with excitement and positive energy for what is ahead.

To review, the Top 5 new year intention setting practices:

Write a short paragraph of where you are in a year from now
Practice gratitude for this past year
Reflection Journaling: Your honest truth
Goals and Dreams Breakdown
Creating a Vision Board

Take your time setting your intentions and really dive deep to find what you truly want! Keep that loving energy and create these intentions with a powerful purpose!

Setting New Year Intentions