Intention Setting - A Powerful Practice to Start your Day!

How often do you start your day with clear intention of how you would like to navigate your day?  Many of us have developed the habit of rolling out of bed and entering "autopilot"... Reaching for that morning cup of coffee, scrolling the media and going about the day simply doing "what needs to be done".  Living life without intention can lead to feelings of disconnect from yourself, your sense of passion and purpose. You may avoid your own needs and feel stressed, depressed, bored or overwhelmed.  

Setting a morning intention helps you break free from habitual living and creates new neuropathways (patterns) in your brain.  Think of it as a RESET for your mind. Intention setting simply requires taking a moment to pause to get clear on what you really want and how you want to feel throughout the day. 

An intention is a strong feeling, energy or commitment to yourself that is aligned with your values or goals and that lead to action. An intention often reflects your personal "why" behind how you want to act, behave, or carry out a specific goal. They provide a foundation that guide your actions and behaviors so that you can live the joyful life you desire. For example if your intention is to live a more spiritually connected life, this might lead you to sign up to a daily meditation program.

To get started, here are some ideas to think about:

• What kind of person do you want to be today?... Focused and productive, relaxed and calm, centered, balanced, happy, healthy, positive?
• What attitude do you want to have towards other people?... Patience and kindness, open and receptive, helpful yet clear with boundaries?
• What do you need to commit to in order to live a meaningful life you desire?... Self-care, time management, more rest, daily movement, healthy eating, stress management?
• What do you need to focus on to achieve your goals?...  Organization, a rested body, inspiration, focused time blocks for work productivity, saying "no"?

Your intentions might change daily, or you might commit to one intention that you use for an extended period of time.

Once you’ve set an intention, reflect on why this intention is important. What larger goal, value, or desire does it relate to? This helps connect the intention to a greater purpose and better integrate it into your body, brain and heart.

Some examples of intentions are:

Begin the statement  with:  "Today, I intent to..." or "Today, I choose..."

• Stay focused and on task

• Move my body in ways that feel good

• Create time for meal planning and preparation
• Get the sleep or rest my body needs to be healthy
• Allow my passions, values and heart to guide me
• Choose foods mindfully
• Slow down when I eat

• Treat my body with love and respect

• Have a relaxed approach to life and situations

• Engage in my spiritual practice

• Connect with nature
• Be present in the moment
• Find humor in situations
• Stand up for my beliefs
• Listen to my gut and allow intuition guide me
• Create space of play and creativity
• Make mindful money choices
• Be organized and efficient
• Open myself to new possibilities
• Lead my heart, not my head
• Make decisions with ease
• Prioritize what matters most
• Take time to reflect
• Embrace change in all forms

It's natural to get distracted from your intentions, particularly in the beginning. Developing new habits takes time, persistence, reminders and practice. Also be mindful that you don't need to have an action plan in place to set an intention.  Trust that setting a clear intention will lead to actions that are in alignment with the intention.

It may be helpful to write down your intention and place it someplace visible (mirror, laptop, fridge) as a reminder.  Closing your eyes and visualizing yourself living your life in alignment with your intention is a powerful way to infuse your cells with your intention. Ending your day reflecting (without judgment) on whether you upheld your intention or not can also be helpful. Following through with journaling on ways you could improve next time helps with the process of developing this new healthy habit.

Happy Intention Setting!