My Happiness Coach

What is an intention?

The Oxford Languages dictionary states that an intention is a thing intended; an aim or plan.

I always find it funny when the dictionary uses a word in the definition of itself. But in short, an intention is an aim or plan. These are the thoughts behind your actions. Intent is the resolve to do something.

Setting intentions is a helpful tool in life & journaling. Starting the day with setting your intentions will help you stay focused on the things that matter to you.

How to Start

Starting can be the hardest part. Where to begin? What to do? You need to answer these questions before your journey with intentions can begin. Brainstorming is key to figuring out what your dreams are & from there you can determine your intentions.

Figuring out your dreams isn’t easy, nor should it be. Your intentions are the actions that will guide your behavior & focus your energy on your goals, dreams & aspirations in life. So, it is important to start with figuring out some goals.
Think about all the things that you would like to accomplish over the next several months or year. Brainstorm the shit out of your dreams, hopes, goals, & aspirations. Think, think, think. Then write down everything that comes into your beautiful brain. Remember in brainstorming, there are no right or wrong answers. After brainstorming for a set amount of time (I’d say no shorter than 5 minutes, but set a timer.), go through that list and choose 2-5 goals that you want to focus on.

Goals are set, now what?

Congratulations! You have set some goals. Now comes the hard part, figuring out your why. I have a free workshop & course that I offer about goal-setting & a big part of achieving your goals it to figure out why you want these things in the first place. This is a big piece of the puzzle.

For each goal, I want you to think about why you want this in your life. Is it to achieve a bigger goal or dream? Is it to further your career or find the job of your dreams? Does it have something to do with self-care & loving your life?
These are important questions to answer. So, before you can set your intentions, figure out what is driving you to achieve this goal.

Break it down.

The next step is to bring down those larger goals into bit sized goals that are easier to digest. If your goal is to go back to school, a smaller goal can be to choose a school (or two) to apply at. Then when it comes to setting a daily intention, you could say something like…

I want to choose the school that is right for me.

Once you have your intention set, it is time to break it down further into action-steps. Think of what you can accomplish today that will get you closer to that goal. I go over more about action-steps in my one-on-one course on discovering your purpose.

Important reminders.

Deep dive. This is your chance to shine. Dig deep into yourself & pull out your desires. This is how setting intentions will help you the most. When you go deep into your brain & fish around for the things that you really want, setting your intentions to achieve these things will not only get your closer to your dreams, but it will be easier to accomplish what you really want to do when you really want to do it.

Keep it clear. To achieve something, you must have a good understanding about what it is that you want & why you want it.

Practice, practice, practice. When I was playing the violin in secondary school, we had a saying: “How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice!” This is true for everything. Setting intentions gets easier the more that you do it. Plus, the more you practice setting intentions, the more of your dreams will come true. So, by setting your intentions daily, you will accomplish more & increase your happiness.

Looking back. Once you have set your intentions, don’t just leave them laying on the page. Check back on them. Look at your progress & see where you are excelling & where you might be struggling.

Gratitude is the attitude. After reviewing your progress & seeing everything that you have accomplished. Take some time to be grateful. Offer thanks to yourself for the achievements behind you & build excitement for the achievements yet to come.

Keep it positive. A positive attitude is everything when setting intentions. Stay away from words like don’t, not, and never. Instead of saying “I don’t want to waste time on social media”, say “I want to use my free time more productively.” The universe likes positivity!

And lastly…

Setting your intentions is a useful process & helps you increase your focus. By focusing on the action-steps to achieving your dreams, goals, & aspirations, you will become more mindful of moving forward.

As you work towards achievements with intentions, you will find that your point-of-view shifts. This POV shift changes your perspective on life. This is a very important step to your over-all growth.