In the June 2012 issue of Whole Living there is a wonderful article about self-discovery entitled Morning Awakening by Phillip Moffitt and it really struck a chord within me. The article beings with a beautiful and captivating idea – the practice of setting intentions on and off your mat and the role they can play in your life.
“Intention is essentially the capacity to stay in touch with the core values that you wish to live by as you pursue your life’s goals and engage with others. Being grounded in your intention literally changes what you perceive in a situation and how your mind interprets what you perceive; it also affects how you act on what you perceive.”
Wow, what an empowering concept… the idea that you should ground yourself in your intentions (aka values) so much so that they literally change how you perceive situations and how you react to them throughout the day.
Think about it a little more: so you’re sitting at your kitchen table and you tell yourself that you want to be a kind person but then you get up and go out into the real world and that value is put to the test. Sometimes, you remember your intention and act with kindness, but I bet most of the time your intentions fall to the back of your mind where they rest in the shadows. Then when you are confronted with a challenging situation you simply react without kindness, either because you get swept up in your immediate feelings or you lose your awareness. It’s not a bad thing that your forget your values/intentions, it’s human nature.
But what if, every single morning you reminded yourself of your intentions and then continuously brought them to the front of your mind throughout the day? Do you think it could change your life? I do.
I believe that beginning your day by setting (or re-setting) your intention can help you further connect with your beliefs and then incorporate them throughout the day.
My intentions:
Be joyful
Live healthy
Move mindfully
Create & inspire
Bestow compassion at all times
These are the core values and overarching that make up WHO I AM and HOW I want to live everyday. I believe taking a moment every single morning to remind myself of them will help me carry them closer to my heart, my mind and my mouth so that I may feel, perceive and react with those intentions.
Won’t you join me? Share your intentions below. And before you begin your day, just take a moment to breathe in the power of your own intentions so that you may live with your intentions rather than without.
“Knowing what is essential to you allows you to respond to life’s ups and downs with a clear mind and a open heart.”
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