Creating an Intentional Year…

I joined the Seeker Chicks and a couple other folks for a December chat regarding ‘holiday stress’. Most seasonal stress is attributed to the pressure and expectations of Christmas. And for most of us the holiday season does provoke some type of anxiety.

Lurking under the surface of all this hubbub is another factor, the end of another year. It is a time for many folks to look back over the previous twelve months and assess the degree to which they did or did not accomplish what they had set the previous January as goals or resolutions.

We have learned that these goals and resolutions often fly off the tracks early in the new year. There are many reasons for that. Goals can be unrealistic, change in terms of their importance, be poorly timed, or simply be forgotten. So, before you set your goals/resolutions for 2023, you may wish to pause and consider what the intention behind these goals really is. It has been my experience that goals, while important, do not always reflect what you really want. More often they are created in response to a personal situation, the expectations of others or perhaps for your work/career.

Let’s take a step back and examine the field of intentionality.

Intentionality

It is best to understand that intentions reflect what you truly want and what would be an authentic expression of who you are. Without this, as with many goals, intentions are shallow and have no inherent meaning.

Unlike goals, intentions are not attached to a specific outcome. This is and absolutely essential ingredient. An intention begins with:

What do I want?

Now this may seem simple and as you know, most people do not know what they want. They know what they do not want.

For example:

 I do not want to be sick

 I do not want to be disrespected by others/at work

 I do not want to be unhappy.

You get the picture. Now here is what is really important – energy follows what you give your attention to meaning that all of the above statements attract more of the same: sickness, unhappiness, disrespect.

Instead, you want to focus on:

I want to be healthy

I want to be respected at work or within my family

I want to be happy.

Having clarified your wants, you then shift to true intentionality, which is stated in the ‘I AM’ or an active verb, as if it is already happening:

 I AM healthy

I AM respected at work or within my family

I AM happy.

It is true that the I AM may not be believable initially, and this is where the magic happens, learning to see yourself in these states of health, happiness and respect and understanding that when you do, you create a field off energy that allows that to happen. You are not invested in how it happens, when it happens or where it happens.

We all know the common resolutions we usually state to kick off a new year: loosing weight, quitting smoking, or joining a gym. It is challenging to escape when everyone around you is saying the same thing. Here is the real challenge. As stated above examine the real intention or motive. Generally, this is aspiring to be healthy. So rather than writing down the usual litany of new year’s resolution, embark on the path of intention.

Here are the intentions:

I am healed, whole and healthy.

I am attracting choices that support me in a healthy life style.

I am my perfect healthy self every day.

FINAL STEP

Setting your intentions is the most important step and, once set, it is important to the pay ATTENTION. Because you do not define a specific outcome for an intention, it is important to develop an attitude of curiosity and be mindful of what shows up. Always be prepared to be surprised. For example: You may have stepped into an intention for your health and then be offered an opportunity to register for an art program. This may be perfect for your emotional, creative or spiritual health.

Which brings us to the third step, being in NO TENSION, which essentially means being open to the possibilities. Here are the steps:

Set an Intention  Pay Attention  Be in No Tension

CLOSING THOUGHTS

I adopted intentions versus goals over 20 years ago and can truthfully attest to the power of living in an intentional field. The key is once setting them, believing them and making life choices which support them. All that said, I wish each of you an intentional year, living into your dreams and aspirations and fully embracing the life that you desire.

A quick note from OUT and ABOUT with Seeker Chick Mai-Liis: on Wednesday, January 11th (2023) The Seeker hosted a ” Vision Board Workshop” facilitated by Betty (Check out the photos above) and at this workshop a group of us learned on the proper way of setting Intentions. What a wonderful way to start the New Year. The header photo is actually my Vision Board.

Keep your eyes open – we may have more Vision Board Workshops throughout the year – just to keep us all on track!!!