What does it mean to be intentional?
Being intentional, deliberate, thoughtful, mindful; all of these things differ slightly but are intertwined around the concept that we need to put more energy/focus on obtaining what we want out of this life.
For me, being intentional is about putting some real thought into what I want to get from each interaction that I have. For work, it can be a coaching session where I am intentional about being fully present in the session. It can be a business development meeting and being intentional about what I can offer the organization or individual. It doesn’t mean that I have to set a strict agenda that time boxes the whole conversation; it does mean that I spend about 5 minutes concentrating entirely on my goals for that meeting. When possible, I like to narrow it down to a simple list of three things that I can keep in my head. If it is a particularly stressful meeting and I have the opportunity, I will listen to meditation music to clear my mind and let the three things that I want to achieve become a personal mantra.
Why should you be intentional?
It’s not always easy to be intentional. While the concept is easy enough, we live in an instant gratification world that we often navigate on autopilot, falling into habits that we have learned over time and that have been repeatedly reinforced. It’s living life on the “hamster wheel” and it can often leave us feeling unfulfilled. To be intentional is to get out of autopilot and break these habits. It’s tapping into our higher selves and our purpose in life. It’s one of our most powerful tools to meet the goals that we have set for ourselves by marrying the mind with the heart.
How can you become more intentional in the new year?
For me, setting a daily intention is part of my morning routine. I am an early bird so I always take the first 30 minutes of my morning to have my tea or coffee and journal. My journaling practice always begins with setting a daily intention. Often times it is simply a phrase or a mantra for how I want to approach the day ahead. Other times it is more spiritual and comes to me following my morning devotional time. Some of my favorites for 2019 include: Cool as a Cucumber, Shine Brightly, Loving Kindness, Ease of Being, Assume Good Intent, With God’s Help, Be Open, Be Fully Present. I have even found personal intentions in song lyrics. For example, “Let go your heart, let go your head, Feel it now…” from the song Babylon by David Gray. Simply put, intentions come to us when we can find the time to silence our mind and listen to our heart.
So if you are struggling with setting goals in the year ahead, try simply setting an intention, a few words that will ground you and anchor you in 2020. All you have to do is take a few minutes to tune into your heart and hear what it is saying.
My intention for 2020 is simply Finish What You Start!
If you have set one, I encourage you to share it in the comments section below, I would love to know it! And if you are struggling to silence the mind to set an intention or get off of the hamster wheel and break some bad habits then I encourage you to reach out to me at Miranda@Adaptive-Talent.com, I would love to help you! Happy New Year!!
Adaptive-Talent 