Setting daily intentions is a tool to make sure that what you want matches with the way you are living. It’s so easy to think- “When things calm down I will have time for myself” or another version of that. There will never be a perfect time, to have time to yourself and to live a life that your wants and needs are represented, you have to start right now.
This is important because if you live a life in which your wants and needs are not represented- aka being “selfless”, which is what women have been taught as an aspirational way to live, you will end up feeling resentment to those around you. Not because they are doing anything wrong, but because you are not prioritizing yourself. Setting daily intentions is a step you can take right now! I am going to show you how to set a daily intention in 6 easy steps.
- Awareness
- Awareness is the first step to anything. There is power in awareness. Living in autopilot is common but it is not the way to live a life you love. When we are aware of what is going on in our life that means that we are paying attention and reflecting on how we feel, what we want.
- Sometimes it’s easier for women to be able to say what they DON’T want, this is a great place to start.
- Write it down
- Write down what you want (or what you don’t want) and just let that sit
- Write it out in this template- “I intend to {fill in the blank}
- Then write it on a sticky note where you will see it
- Write it in your planner
- Take a picture of it, make it your wallpaper
- Send it to yourself in the form of an alarm on your phone throughout the day
- Visualize your intention coming to life
- Our thoughts are powerful. Our brain does not know the difference between something actually happening and imagining something happening. The same things happen in our mind for both.
- So take a moment to imagine your intention coming to life. It can just be for 1 minute. Use your senses: imagine what you will see around you when this intention comes to life, what will you smell, what will you feel, who is around you?
- Make a plan
- You know what you want (or what you don’t want), you wrote it down and have visualized it, now what?
- Action is required, so decide- what are actions that will support your intention?
- Inspired action
- Just checking things off a to do list isn’t the best way to live an intentional life
- Taking inspired action is what will connect you to your intention
- Make is small and doable in your REAL Life
- Check in with yourself
- Evaluate how your intention is going
- Be super honest with yourself and then:
- Make any adjustments that you need to
- Celebrate what is going well!
Let’s go through an example:
Your day starts off feeling behind, there are still lunches to pack, things to sign, bags to prepare, deciding what to wear, what to eat for breakfast, etc. It all comes at you so fast and you are snippy with your kids and spouse because you feel stressed, and then you feel guilty about that.
Step 1: Awareness- you know that you don’t like feeling this way, it’s not starting the day off from a helpful place, and it is creating a chaotic environment in your household.
Step 2: Write it down- “I intend to start the day feeling more calm and organized.”
Step 3: Visualize it- take 1 minute to imagine going through your morning feeling more calm and organized. Maybe there are lunches ready for the day, you already know what you are going to wear, there is a fun music playlist going on in the background, the countertops are clear, you have your favorite essential oil diffusing, and you feel like you can breath more.
Step 4: Make a plan- Write down all of the things that would help your vision come to life. Now the point of this, is not to feel overwhelmed, but to have a list of actions to work with.
- Making lunches for the week on Sunday
- Picking out your clothes for the whole week or the next day
- Having a system for checking in on any papers that need to be signed or other tasks like that
- Making a fun playlist
- Putting a diffuser in your kitchen
- Have a evening check list of what needs to be ready for the next day
Step 5: Inspired action- what on that list either feels like it would make the biggest difference, or feels the easiest to initiate. Let’s start there, and start small.
Step 6: Check in with yourself- at the end of your day and week, ask yourself if this action is helping you feel the way you want to feel. Are there any other actions that you want to initiate, if so follow the same steps and start small.
What intention are you starting with? I would love to hear!
How I Support Women in this work
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Be well,
Faith
Board Certified Nurse coach
Holistic Coaching • Yoga teacher • Love Your REAL Life Membership
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D I S C L A I M E R Anything that I discuss about making any lifestyle changes is from my own experience and/or other clients personal experiences and may not be suited for you. It is strongly recommended that you consult with your health professional before making changes in your own life. By engaging in anything that I talk about, you agree that you do so at your own risk.