I talk a lot with people about setting intentions. Now when reflecting back, I have definitely been on my own journey of working with intentions to enhance my life.
Where does it begin? I remember being prompted in yoga classes to set an intention or to practice “bhakti” or offering my practices to someone or something else outside of me. These would serve as the beginnings of conscious intention for me. That’s a very important thing to note! Conscious intention. Everyone is walking around with some sort of intention because at the very root of it all, our behaviors are manifest of our intent. So the conversation turns to consciously choosing our intention. Because if we come from a place of consciousness then we get to really choose where to direct our focus. This is one of the hallmarks of any spiritual practice - Conscious choice - We have a choice. One of the greatest gifts we have as human beings is the capacity and power to choose what we would like to experience or have happen.
Conscious intention has the potential to transform every aspect of your life!
So going back to those early days when being prompted in yoga classes to set intentions and just recalling it now I can imagine how feeble my mind was! Literally, it felt like such a chore to choose an intention! Sounds pretty funny when I look back now, but many others might feel the same way! I bet they do!
The great thing is that with anything we practice, we develop. Conscious intention setting is just the same, a skill that we can cultivate to use with purpose. So here are some rock solid tips that’ll put you in great shape to set amazing intentions for yourself. Have fun!
1. Become more present: develop your capacity for stepping into the present moment. It’s not always so easy is it!? Landing in the present moment where your mind is centered on the experience at hand rather than off somewhere in la la land grocery shopping or wondering if you locked the door this morning etc. Your prescription for this is mindfulness practices and meditation practice. Yes - that’s right, there are practices even before practicing intention setting. This shit runs deep! Training your mind will be at the basis of almost any skill that brings more meaning to your life. So go ahead and get married to meditation already (you access my free 30 day meditation series at the bottom on this blog!)! Your ability to keep returning to your intentions throughout your day/week etc, will depend on your ability to access the present moment and ask “what is my intention right now?”.
2. Ask: What serves you? Asking that question and getting clear on the things in life that you truly like to have happen. The ability to answer this question comes with genuine self knowledge. So a prescription here would be to reflect with your journal on your likes, dislikes, desires, hopes, aspirations all the things… Get journaling and figure yourself out, you enigma! Knowing what you want is the soil bed upon which you will plant your seeds of intention.
3. Consider: What’s realistic? It’s true, get down here on earth and be honest. Be honest about where you are right now. Possibility is truly limitless, however if you are kidding yourself about your current situation, it's like jumping to grab a climbing rope that’s just a little too high for your current ups. Again - journaling is a great practice to get clear on where you should set your sights.
4. Play: Incorporate simple things that fill your heart with JOY. For me: laugh more or do more cartwheels are always in my little baggy of possible intentions. You can be as specific as you want or you can leave some room for magic. There is a lot to be said here but I’ll leave it. You can ask me directly if you want to get into the nuances between goal setting and intention setting. I think they are different. Write them down! See more sunrises, kiss more, hug more, laugh more, start a food fight.
5. Now is a great time to set intentions. Waiting is for suckers. You can have it now. Intention creates. Really. Do your inner work, focus on where you want to infuse intention into your life. I think the more the merrier - however as with any practice, keeping it simple and manageable will be best. It works best for me! Consider a timeline for your intentions. A month is a great period to work with intention and it will come naturally that your intentions are relevant to your life.
6. Write: Once clear, write them down. Read them aloud. How do they sit with you? Do they inspire you, excite you, create enthusiasm when you imagine what they will yield?
7. Share: if it feels right. There is a lot to be said for sharing your intentions. Putting it out to the world can be scary for some and that makes it even more REAL AF. That’s right we’re doing this. They know what I am up to. This is great because you will inspire others and even garner support for your cause! So go ahead and tell your friends what’s up. Maybe they’ll care to join you and then you have an accountability buddy to do more cartwheels with. Awesome.
Here you go! Conscious intention has the potential to transform every aspect of your life! Go now and set your world on fire, a good fire!
Big love,
Jeff