Intention is the act of focusing on something specific, which impacts both mind and energy. In reality, we are creating intentions at some level every moment of the day with our thoughts, and, sadly, many of our thoughts are a stream of negative commentary about ourselves and what’s around us. Now, wouldn’t you rather consciously choose what your focus will be?
Our thoughts are important. They set our minds searching for the things we think about. This is the reticular activating system in action, like when you’re in a busy room yet your attention goes to the person who says your child’s name. Your mind is constantly filtering the vast amounts of information surrounding you, bringing to your attention what is important to you and locating evidence to support your thoughts.
Our thoughts are also the basis for the energy that we send out into the world. Have you ever experienced being near someone who was in a strong emotional state (inevitably based on their thoughts) and you could actually feel it? That energy affects the people around and often gets reflected back to the originator, bringing more of the same into their experience.
Rather than be at the mercy of random thoughts, consciously choose your focus:
1. First, look at what you DO want. Check in. It helps to drop your awareness out of your head down into your body – especially into the belly area for women. Now, what do you most want or need right now? What comes up for you?
2. This is where we start peeling back the layers. Maybe you’ve landed on the heart of it right away, in which case, great! More often, though, it takes a bit of searching, like a game of hot or cold.
Be curious and ask yourself: What would that do for me?
Keep following the “warm” leads. I’ve found that when you get to the core of what you want, you KNOW. There’s a sense of vulnerability when you admit, even to yourself, what you really, truly want.
Let’s use a material goal as an example, although this method can be used for non-material desires as well. Say you really want a new house. Okay, why? What would that do for you? You’d probably start with some logical rationale: you want more space, maybe a different neighbourhood, or the floor plan really isn’t working for you. But keep peeling back the layers: what would that do for you? Pay particular attention to your feelings. When all the thoughts are peeled away, what is it you really want? Comfort? Security? Beauty? A sense of abundance? Or is it attention, which can be peeled back to reveal more, such as wanting to be appreciated, or respected, or something else?
3. That feeling you finally land on? That’s your intention.
Do this exercise every morning. Once you get used to it, you’ll be able to recognize the underlying feeling of what you want fairly quickly. Set an intention for how you desire to feel every day – some days will be similar to the last, some will bring up something new. There may be days where a feeling intuitively pops into your awareness as well. Incorporate it!
4. Clearly state, “I want” or “I intend _____ today.”
Then release your intention. Imagine it radiating out into the world, and, as you go about your day, let your mind search for evidence of it in your life.
There will be times that what’s happening around you is decidedly NOT what you intended! Just remind yourself of the feeling you want to experience and to search for glimmers of where it could be true.
These are opportunities to practice our intention. Like the times that I’ve intended patience (as that’s what popped into my awareness during my daily process) and later that day all hell’s broken loose! Remembering the feeling that I had consciously intended allowed me to come closer to achieving it than I might otherwise have done.
If there is something you can actively do to support your intention, do so. Sometimes the fulfillment of our intention comes from a place we didn’t expect. Sometimes what it brings is simply the clarity of where we have been avoiding it all along.
So instead of allowing your unconscious, often negative, thoughts to shape your life, be mindful. It is this practice of conscious choice, coupled with uncovering the feelings that make life meaningful to you, that will ultimately create the richness of experience you desire.
