How to Set a Yoga Intention for the New Year

Welcome to 2026! The turn of the year often invites reflection, it’s a natural pause before your busy life picks up the pace again. You might have heard of New Years Resolutions but I’m an advocate for a different approach. Rather than setting resolutions that focus on outcomes or achievements, yoga offers a softer approach: setting an intention.

An intention isn’t about changing who you are, but about connecting with what feels most meaningful. It’s a way of bringing awareness and direction to how you move through the months ahead - both on and off the mat.

In this article, I breakdown what a yoga intention is, why you might use one, and how to create your own intention for the year ahead.

What Is a Yoga Intention?

In yoga, we sometimes use the Sanskrit word sankalpa - a heartfelt intention or vow. It’s not a goal or a to-do list item, but a guiding thread that connects you with your values.

An intention might be a single word, like balance, ease or trust, or a short present tense phrase such as I move with awareness or I give myself time to rest. It’s something that feels true to you, rather than something you think you should choose.

A yoga intention is more about how you feel than what you achieve.

Why Intentions Matter

Setting an intention brings focus and presence to your practice. It helps you return to what’s important, especially when life feels busy or scattered. Over time, this simple act of remembering - returning to your “why” - can shift how you show up in both movement and daily life.

Your teacher might invite you to set an intention at the start of your yoga class, but I recommend working with the same intention over a few weeks, or months (or even a full year!) to really give it some focus.

Finding Your Intention

Before you decide on an intention, take a few minutes to check in with yourself. Grab your notebook or journal if that feels helpful.

Step 1: Find a few moments of calm

Take a few minutes in a calm and quiet space to breath deeply, and allow yourself to find the present moment. You might light a candle or play some soothing music if you find it helpful.

Step 2: Check in with yourself

Ask yourself the question:

How are you feeling physically, emotionally, and mentally?

Try to write down the first word that comes to mind for each. There’s no right or wrong answer - this is just about noticing where you are starting from.

Step 3: Reflect on the past

Then, reflect on the previous time period - the past year or the latest months that have just passed:

• What are three things you feel proud of?

• What positive changes or small steps have you made recently?

Use a notebook or journal to reflect on the past few months

Step 4: Look ahead

Once you’ve taken stock, close your eyes and take a few slow breaths.
Ask yourself:

• What am I grateful for right now?

• How do I want to feel over the next few months?

Let the answers arrive without forcing them - you’re listening more than analysing.

Step 5: Turn Reflection into Intention

Look back at the words or feelings that stood out. What do they point towards?

If you wrote “tired”, maybe your intention relates to rest.
If you noticed “disconnected”, perhaps it’s about presence or connection.

Try shaping that feeling into a clear, affirmative statement. For example:

• I create space for rest.

• I stay grounded and connected.

• I move with purpose and ease.

Phrase your intention in the present tense, as though it’s already true - not something to chase, but something to live into.

How To Use Your Intention

Once you’ve found your words, find small ways to bring them into your days. You might:

• Begin each yoga practice by quietly repeating your intention to yourself.

• Write it on a note near your mirror or somewhere you’ll see it often (your fridge?)

• Integrate it into your yoga nidra practice

• Revisit it during moments of decision or change

An intention is not fixed - it can evolve as you do. The aim is to keep returning to it with awareness, especially when things feel uncertain or rushed.

A Closing Thought

Setting a yoga intention isn’t about reinvention or self-improvement. It’s simply about pausing long enough to listen to what you need - and gently aligning your choices with that truth.

It’s a small act of attention that can shape how you move through the year ahead, so you feel your best self!

Want to stay true to your intention this year? Send me your intention via email to hannah@workerbeeyoga.co.uk and I’ll check in with you!