We all are trying to live more mindfully, but it’s more than just the latest buzzword. Mindfulness is being realized as a way to live a better life, one where we’re more aware of ourselves and others. The ultimate life hack, so to speak! And a huge part of mindfulness is setting intentions for yourself. Intentions are like the driving force that lives deep within you. Intentions are the reasons why we do things. And setting intentions can literally be a life-changing practice! So let’s go deeper into intentions, what they are, how to set them, and how to make them your reality.
What are intentions?
Intentions are the act of intending to do something. They’re the motivation behind why we do just about anything in life. You can set an intention to do something, no matter how big or small that action is. And the intention is basically like the precursor to a goal; it’s what drives you to your goals.
Intentions are about having a purpose behind each and every action you do. Intentions set the tone of an action or aspect of your life, and your subconscious mind picks up on these and helps you manifest these intentions into reality. For example, let’s say you have a habit of donating money to a good cause every time you get your paycheck. That’s amazing in and of itself. But you can use the power of intentions to tone it up a notch! If you set and hold the intention to put good out into the world hoping to receive it back, for example, that breathes new life into your actions and can make the things you do seem less like chores or just “going through the motions” and more purposeful. With time, you’ll find it easier to help others!
How to set an intention for manifestation
Okay, so now it’s time to set those intentions! But what does it mean to set your intentions? Decide on something you intend to do so you can think about it often, hopefully manifesting that intention and helping you fulfill your goals! First, let’s give you some tips!
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Set clear intentions:
You want your intentions to be something that you can be sure you’re working towards as you formulate your goals. It’s all well and good to say you “intend to live life to the fullest!” But how? What does “living life to the fullest” mean to you? That can be vastly different from person to person. How will you know when you’ve fulfilled that? You need to be specific! Want some examples of intentions? Try these: You can intend to put a smile on peoples' faces, ease others’ hardships, do your part to help the environment, etc.!
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Write down your intention(s):
But don’t just write them down in some notebook that’ll end up getting tossed somewhere and forgotten. Oh no. Write it loud and proud in a place you’ll be sure to see it daily! Whether that’s on a piece of paper hung on your fridge or making it the background of your phone, you want to have a physical representation of your intentions to help guide you through the days and months ahead!
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Take action:
Once you’ve done all the mental labor, it’s time to put your intentions to work and use them to guide you as you set out to fulfill your goals and live life in general. As you move through your day with your intention, to, say, brighten others’ day, you’ll use that to guide your actions. As you compliment your cashier, as you tip your waitress a little extra, as you agree to help your mom with that favor she asked you to do, you’re doing so with the intention to brighten their day. And just watch as these actions take on a whole new aura in your mind now that you’re doing them with intention!
With intentions, it’s more about the journey to your goals rather than the end product (the goal itself). Enjoy that journey, girl!
