5 Reasons You Should Set Intentions
Last year was quite rough for me in several ways. After a very traumatic birthing experience with my youngest, I shortly after had to have a LEEP (Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure) to take out some precancerous cells in my uterus. Only to find out that I might have to have a more invasive procedure done if these cells show up again. I was in quite the funk after having to wait so long to get back into exercising after delivering in April, but started to feel a bit like myself again as I was able to slowly but surely get back to riding my Peloton. The LEEP put me back at square one, and I teetered with how to feel.
I wouldn’t say that I’m a super active person, but I do enjoy moving my body and living a healthy lifestyle is important to our family. Not being able to exercise or do things that I had previously enjoyed felt like the cherry on top of this new phase of motherhood I had entered where I had even less time to dedicate to hobbies outside of the home. I had just started a new program and one of the first things we did was set intentions. I’ve set goals before and I’d say I’m a highly motivated person, but I had never set an intention.
This new shift in my perspective—how I viewed my end target—was transformational! The goals I had set were no longer feasible and weighed heavy on my self-perception and motivation. I felt stuck, upset, frustrated, overwhelmed, and so many other things. The specific goals like “hop on the Peloton for 30 min 3xs a week” had shifted to the intention of “move my body daily.”
It was amazing to see how much my mindset, mood, and even my body transformed as I was less focused on a specific goal and more focused on being intentional in what I was able to do at this moment in time. If you’ve ever wondered about why setting intentions are so great or how they’re different from setting a goal, I invite you to read on!
Intentions help you live in the present
Unlike goals, which are focused on the future, intentions focus on the present moment. Who you are. What you want to do. HOW you want to live your life. This shift from worrying about what the future holds, to what you are doing NOW helps you be more present, intentional, and available to what’s currently in front of you.
Intentions give you focus
When you live in the present, it’s easier to stay focused on the here and now. Often times, goals without purpose lead to self-doubt and questions of “what if"? as you dwell on the million things that could happen between now and the end of your journey (i.e. meeting your goal). Intentions help bring focus on what you are doing now so that you can get to where you want to be.
Intentions give you direction
Have you ever stopped to think about what the journey will look like to your destination? Do you know what roads to take to help you get there? If you’re driving somewhere, it’s likely that you’ve mapped out your plan and know what the journey will look like. Intentions give you the direction you need to actualize what you want to see come to fruition. They give you direction because they help bring a sense of purpose for what’s to come.
Intentions help you reach your Target
By helping you stay present and focused, while also providing you a roadmap for your journey, intentions are the way to help you reach your destination. Not only do they provide you the ability to focus on making the most of where you currently are, they help shift your mindset to be more positive. Which in return leads you to manifesting what you truly want, even beyond a specific goal.
Intentions are limitless
The BEST thing about intentions is that there is no end to them. Thus making them limitless. Goals can feel daunting at times. Life happens and maybe you’re not able to achieve what you set out to. You might not feel the satisfaction that you thought you would once you’ve reached your end, leading to a cap on your jar of joy. Intentions are full of endless possibilities. You can have as many or as few as you’d like because it’s about you living out your values and the things that matter to you. There’s no end to the feeling you get from living out the truest version of yourself and your values on the daily. There’s no limit to how often they can change, as they grow and adapt with you.
Intentions truly are about the journey. The journey of you growing and becoming; shifting mindsets and outlooks; manifesting and putting out into the universe your true desires behind your goals. If you do anything this year, set an intention. Just ONE, and see how drastically your life shifts.
