Tips for Setting Intentions
Tips for Setting Intentions
Help setting Intentions
As mentioned in my previous post, setting and living intentions is present-time focused.
Intentions help you to recognize your values so you can live them. They provide a roadmap and reminder for how to live out each day.
Intentions give you purpose AND the inspiration and motivation to achieve your purpose.
Intentions must come from your heart, they are not the tangible “get promoted” or “lose 10 pounds” kinds of goals. They are heart-driven. They evoke feeling and purpose, like “open to learning or understanding,” “be healthy”, “let go of fear,” etc.
Thought-starters for forming intentions:
- What matters most to you?
- What would you like to let go of? “I am free of____”
- How do you feel when you are your happiest self? “I am joy, I am energetic, etc.”
- What makes you proud?
- What word(s) would you like to align yourself with?
- What would you like to build, create, or nurture in your life?
Simple Phrases
Intentions can be simple phrases such as:
To accept whatever happens as if I had chosen it.
To channel delight into my day.
To gain strength
To improve myself (develop a skill)
To bring light into other people’s day
To show up for myself
To allow myself grace
To encourage and inspire by being my authentic self
To discover who I am and what I enjoy
To pause before responding in conversation and lead with empathy and love.
To give up control and let God handle it
To be afraid and do it anyway
To rise to meet my own standards
To be selective with my time
To be the person my friends can rely on
To find beauty in everything
One Word
Intentions can be one word such as:
Peace
Joy
Clarity
Generosity
Confidence
Patience
Thankful
Beauty
Delight
Wonder
Empathy
Excitement
Satisfaction
Acceptance
Love
Faith
Courage
Realness
Play
Simplicity
Things to Keep in Mind
As you set your intentions, please know there are no rules around setting intentions, but there are some things to keep in mind.
- Intentions cannot be forced.
- You can’t set an intention you don’t believe in. (It needs to be closely tied to your personal thoughts, values and perspective on life.)
- Your chosen intention should always be positive, uplifting, and always in the present tense. You want to refrain from using any negative words. ( Instead of saying “stop being a coward,” or “spend less time alone,” choose the intentions, “be courageous” or simply, “community”.)
- Setting an intention isn’t a “set it and forget it” concept. It’s a practice of continually reminding yourself what this day or moment can be.
Ways to Remind Yourself
If you find remembering to be a challenge, here are a few ways you can gently remind yourself of your intention:
- Set an alarm with your intention
- Write it in your planner (daily)
- Put it on your wall or mirror where you see it every day
- Make a background for your phone or put a sticky note on your computer screen
- Write a small paragraph about why you have this intention (on your Notes app or whatever you prefer on your phone) that you look at regularly
For me, I find it best to set my daily intention when I am relaxed, before even getting out of bed in the morning. This helps me know what I want to create for my day so that when making decisions, I choose what aligns with what I envision happening.
