Carrying the Healing Forward: Setting Intentions Without Self-Pressure

As January comes to a close, the pressure to “lock in” goals often intensifies. But trauma-informed healing does not thrive under ultimatums or rigid expectations.

Intentions offer an alternative.

Unlike resolutions, intentions are not demands. They are orientations. They describe how you want to relate to yourself and the world, rather than what you must accomplish.

In The Trauma Monster, Barb Dorrington encourages survivors to move forward with compassion rather than control. Intentions create space for flexibility, rest, and recalibration.

Instead of asking:

• What must I do this year?

Try asking:

• How do I want to feel?

• What do I want to protect?

• What helps me stay grounded?

Trauma-informed intentions might sound like:

• I intend to move at a pace my body can sustain.

• I intend to notice when I am overwhelmed and respond with care.

• I intend to prioritize safety over approval.

• I intend to remain curious rather than critical.

Intentions do not require perfection. They remain available even when you stumble, pause, or change direction.

Healing is not something you complete. It is something you carry forward—gently, imperfectly, and in your own time.

And that is more than enough.