Now that we’ve settled into the New Year, and all the remaining decorations have been packed away, the cupboards have been purged of Holiday junk (right???) and we have our game faces on,   thought I’d unveil my own plan for the coming year.

 

Last year was a whirlwind of NEW and AMAZING things for me, and the very nature of that left me feeling a bit “vaporous” at times. This year, I’m digging in. I’m going deeper and shoring up my foundations; my intention this year, is to be more consistent and stay focused on creating a denser broth.

 

It seems only appropriate to have my first post be about INTENTION. Intention, by definition, is to have in mind a purpose or plan, to direct the mind, to set an aim. A lack of intention will end in us wandering, aimlessly, without meaning or direction. But by having an aim, ‘the cosmos’ align and create absolute magic. When we have intention, direction and purpose even the most impossible things become astoundingly possible.

 

Setting intention helps you take more control of your life. You decide what you’re going after and if you stay connected to that end point and the energy that it brings into your life, the entire world seemingly conspires to let you attain it! The stars come to YOU; you stop chasing THEM. All “fluffy stuff” aside, setting intentions sets up an environment that calls into question your actions, thoughts and behaviors and by way of that forces you to filter out the things that keep you from reaching your goals.

 

Now, you could set an intention every day, create a “babysteps” plan or, you could set an intention for your entire life, a broad stroke that encapsulates the vibe you want to feel in Life. Better yet, you could do BOTH and have a spectrum of intentions that work synergistically to create the full hum of the life you dream of. Your intention could focus on your career, your family interactions, your organizations skills, fitness, nutrition, finances, ANYTHING.

 

The point is that as you take stock of your life and shine light into the corners you are bound to find a few articles that need some attention. Setting intentions is about creating awareness in your life and finessing the things that you feel could benefit from some care; polish and push yourself to be the best that you can be, on your own terms. It’s NOT about checking off a vague list of things that other people suggest for you.

 

Here are a few steps to setting an intention:

 

1. Get clear about WHAT you want; visualize it to the point of absolute clarity – if you set a fuzzy intention, you’ll get a fuzzy result. Think about WHY you want to do what you want to do, HOW it will make you feel when you’ve accomplished it, WHEN you want to accomplish this new level by and WHAT you’ll need to do to make this a reality. It’s these details that separate a dream from a real shift in being.

 

2. Write it down. Writing out your intention makes it concrete. It pulls it out of the ether of your thoughts, separates it from the half detailed notions you have and sets it in stone. Writing it down also gives you something to refer to frequently, a touchstone.

 

2b. (Optional). Share your intention with someone. This doesn’t have to happen and whether or not it does is completely dependant upon whether or not external accountability is a motivator for you. Personally, I am more driven when I keep my intentions to myself and really let the flame build some momentum before I share my plans. Get to know how you function and choose the path of highest accountability.

 

3. Check in regularly with the intention. Keep the note that you made close by and ask yourself often if your actions are getting you closer or farther away from your goal. It’s this checking in that keeps you on track, without it another year rolls by and your old habits rock the groove so to speak and you end up making the same gestures year in and year out. Make the choice to develop a new habit or way of being and your life will become a more fruitful adventure of growth and wonder!

 

4. Reflect on your Intentions – Assess your accomplishment, any hurdles you may have come up against and how you can either recreate this success in other places of your life or do a better job than this go round. Notice, without judging, your success and set backs – build these into your next intention setting session.

 

5. Don’t overwhelm yourself – It’s easy to get excited and make a list of a billion things that you think will help you have the perfect life. If your list is too long you risk overwhelming yourself and heading right back to square one. Another aspect of a long list is superficiality; the more tiny details you put on the list the more likely it is that you’re angling towards perfection and not awareness or actual freedom. Approach intentions like an onion – peel back the layers one at a time, make each one count and settle into your new shifts before embarking on the next – it’s this behavior that makes new habits a lifestyle and not just an attempt at being “better”.

 

Setting intentions is about getting real and honest with yourself, addressing the fabric of your being and making changes where you see fit. They can set you free to live the life you’ve always dreamt of and they have the power to really change your life in a way well beyond your wildest dreams. There is magic in the act of setting intentions and it’s a magic that has a domino effect. If you feel like you’re ready to make a change in some vein of your life, start small and feed off your success! What have you got to lose?!