How Do You Set Powerful Intentions?
Learning how to set powerful intentions will change your life. In my last few blogs, I have talked about the importance of reflecting on 2020, along with the tools to practice self-reflection. And why it is important to learn from the past and the tools to capture the lessons from the past. As a natural progression, the next step is to set intentions that will help you achieve a happier, healthier and fulfilled life in the future.
Most people talk about setting goals, but setting goals isn’t enough. It’s the setting of daily intensions that will change your life and really turn your world around. Most people understand the value and necessity of setting goals, but how many people realise the value of setting intentions? This was a real gamechanger for me in my journey.
Goal setting is good practice as this can help us to see the future, understand what we want, create a plan and stay on track to get it done. But for some people, there is a downside to goal setting, and this was my experience too. It can take us out of the moment and can create an emphasis on what we don’t have. And for those who set goals and don’t achieve them, the act of goal setting can lead to a sense of not only failing, but of feeling like a failure.
This is why it’s important to set intentions too. Setting and living your intentions allows you to focus on who you are in the moment. They enable you to recognise and live your values, to raise your emotional energy, which in turn raises your physical energy.
What is an intention?
An intention is a guiding principle for how you, as a unique individual, wants to be, how you want to live and how you show up in the world. This relates to you at work, in your relationships, and in any area of your life.
Ask yourself, what matters to you most? Your answer could form a very powerful intention, you can then align your thoughts and attitude for the day ahead to this intention. Having clear intentions can help guide your actions as you move through the day.
Unlike a goal, an intention is not something you attach an expectation or evaluation to. An intention is something you want to align with your life; it’s more of an aim, a purpose, or an attitude you are proud to commit to.
The way I see it, goals are set in your head or mind, and intentions are set from your heart. Intentions are not tangible like ‘boost sales by 25%’ or ‘get a promotion’, which are the kind of smart goals we are used to setting. Intentions are heart driven and evoke a feeling and sense of purpose, like ‘practice being non-judgmental of myself and ‘send compassion out to the world’. Setting an intention is a way of bringing your heart and mind into alignment.
Why set intentions?
Setting intentions can be a powerful practice. I do this at the start of a new year, every quarter of the year, every month and even every week, and at the beginning of a new day. Our intentions set our reality, and this is the very first step to embody what I want. You may have heard of sayings like, “what you think you become” or “thoughts become things”.
When you focus your mind on a specific intention during meditation, you are bringing it to your focussed mind, to your thoughts and to your heart. This practice will help bring it into your reality.
How do you set an intention?
Your intention needs to be tied to your unique personal thoughts, values and perspective on life. It’s whatever is important to you; there is no right or wrong, like anything, it takes practice. So, just go with it and, more importantly, enjoy the process. Be excited about setting your intentions; you are the creator and director of your life.
Intentions can be clear and specific, or as simple as one word or phrase you want to align yourself with. Examples could include ‘open your mind and heart’, ‘kindness for myself and others’, ‘love’, ‘strength’, ‘kindness’, ‘peace’, or ‘freedom’. The intentions need to be positive, so instead of ‘stop being a coward’, choose ‘be courageous’.
To put your intentions into practice, you must state your intentions at the beginning of each day. You must revisit them often and when needed to ensure they are still relevant. Call your intention to the centre of your mind at times when you feel off-centre and need to reset. Intentions are a wonderful way to help you stay grounded and reconnect with what matters most to you in your life.
Setting your intentions for 2021
If you’re not paying attention, you could end up in a much different place in life than you actually want to be. That’s why reflective practices are so important to make sure you’re participating in the direction of your life.
There’s no better time than the beginning of a year to reflect on what’s going well for you and what might need to change. Checking in with yourself at least once each year is a must if you want to make positive changes in your life. And what better time to assess how things are going, reset your intentions, and find focus than the New Year?
How do you determine exactly what’s going well, what to change, and what to focus on to create more success and fulfilment in your life?
Here are some questions to help you get started when forming intentions:
- What matters to you most?
- What would you like to build, create or nurture in your life?
- What would you like to let go of?
- Who would you like to forgive in your life?
- How do you feel when you are your happiest self?
- What makes you proud?
- What word(s) would you like to align yourself with?
- What fears would you like to release?
- What are you grateful for?
- What are your wildest dreams?
If you’re ready to make 2021 a gamechanger year, then use these Golden Nuggets to help you set intentions that will change your life:
Golden Nuggets
1. Create a ritual
Firstly, start by crafting your intentions – I commit at the very least to take time to do this, at the beginning of every year, every quarter of the year and every month. Make space to do this, without rushing. Perhaps take yourself off to a nice location or into nature and handwrite your intentions.
Top Tip
Your ritual should be personal and unique to how you love to do things. Make sure that your ritual is something that leaves you feeling inspired and uplifted. I find that by meditating first to get into the optimum, soulful state, helps me to clear space and be in the moment.
2. Be specific
When writing down your intentions, be as specific as possible, using positive statements as mentioned above. Use the questions above to dive into what matters to you most and what will be most life-changing and impactful for you.
Top Tip
Get creative and allow yourself to dream, think about the limitless life you want to create for yourself. Allow yourself to dream to a whole new level. What are the things that would radically change your life forever? Set the intention to make them happen in the next 12 months.
3. Reflect with gratitude
Taking time to reflect, many months after you have written your intentions, will help you to see signs of alignment with what matters to you most and in the life you want to create. Feel the warmth of gratitude and thankfulness for what you have developed, the changes that have occurred, and what you have achieved, through being in a positive mindset and the present moment.
Top Tip
Start a gratitude journal. Make a commitment to write down all of the wonderful things you notice within you and your life, reflecting on your intentions, what has changed in your life and any impacts. You will then notice more wonderful things as they happen. Give thanks to yourself and honour yourself for committing to make these powerful life changes.
So, let’s summarise those Golden Nuggets again:
- Create a ritual
- Be specific
- Reflect with gratitude
Work with a coach
Sometimes we get really stuck on creating and designing our future life, and making our dreams into a reality. When this happens, no matter how hard we try on our own, we might never be able get started or even keep the momentum up to get to where we want to go in life. In these instances, working with a coach can help you.
A coach will ask you the right questions to help you figure out what you really want in life, what’s getting in your way, and how to overcome these obstacles. They can help you to change your thinking, so that you can change your life.
Coaching can be helpful, whether you have just one issue or several; you may just need a few sessions or on a more regular basis, ongoing basis, depending on your needs. Sometimes asking for help can be the most hopeful and powerful step you can take to live a happier, healthier and fulfilled life.
If you have found this useful, then please share this with anyone you know who would also benefit to help them along their journey in life.
Thank you for joining me and I look forward to seeing you again next week for Pura Vida Your Life Happenings for insight, inspiration and more golden nuggets to help you live a happier and fulfilled life.
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Until next time – Pura Vida!