Intention setting is the practice of stating what you would like to achieve, and what you desire. It is a commitment that you make to yourself about what you wish to accomplish, how you see this happening and when by. Intention setting is a powerful tool that can help focus the mind and truly identify what it is that you need to be happy and fulfilled, in both your personal and work life.
Why intention setting works – when you are setting an intention you are sending a message to the universe and to yourself about…
- Who you are
- What you want to be
- How you would like your life to look
- How you wish to be of service to others
- What you would like to achieve
With clarity around your identity, your beliefs, and your values, you will show up to the world in a much more authentic way. You will make choices and decisions that are more aligned with your inner truth and knowing.
How to set intentions – intentions can be anything, from a simple affirmation that creates a shift in energy and mood, such as ‘I intend to see the goodness that is all around me’
to a sequence of intentions that will keep you focused on how you want your life to look… ‘I am strong and confident; ‘I value what I have to offer to the world and share it with confidence and ease’; ‘Financial abundance flows to me’;‘I am fulfilled and successful’; ‘My life is filled with love’.
You have the freedom and the power to choose how you wish to live your life and how you would like it to look.
Here are some guidelines to keep in mind when you first start setting intentions…
- Do not over think or over complicate it.
- Be realistic yet ambitious.
- Write your intention in the present tense as if it is already in action and in a positive tone.
- Make your intention attainable and flexible by giving it scope to grow and evolve as you do.
Putting pen to paper
- Prepare your environment, light a candle or an incense stick, make sure that you are free from distractions.
- Sit for a few minutes and focus on your breath, this will help to quieten and focus your mind.
- See the intention in your mind and feel it in your body, with particular awareness of how it makes you feel.
- Open a blank page in your journal, or a new document on your laptop.
- Write down your intentions.
- Believe that the intentions you are setting are attainable and real.
- Release them to the universe with love and gratitude in your heart.
Follow up – revisit your intentions on a daily, weekly, monthly basis. They are not set in stone and should not feel rigid or restricting. If an intention no longer feels in alignment with your path, change it and set new ones that fit better. Reviewing intentions is a natural and healthy process given that we grow and evolve over time.
Final note – the end of the year is often a time of reflection on our achievements, successes or maybe lack of them. Resolutions begin to form, but unfortunately are not often kept. Reinforce resolutions with intentions to make them more powerful and less likely to be broken.
Do you set intentions or make resolutions? I would love to get to know my readers, please post a comment and let me know if you found this article interesting. Thank you for reading.
About me: Karen Eccles, founder of Pilates From Within, has been teaching Pilates for over a decade; specialising in classical Pilates. She has trained hundreds of clients on their journey to improved health and wellbeing through a combination of Pilates practice, Energy and Sound Healing; a unique blend of practices that alleviates physical symptoms, resets emotions and brings equilibrium and a sense of wellbeing. www.pilatesfromwithin.com
