10 Ways to Cultivate Intention
By WITHIN teacher Herky Feroz Chopra
Intentions give us direction, clarity, and opportunity to lead a meaningful life that is aligned with our values and not a byproduct of juggling whatever is being thrown at us.
Intentions are not fierce goals married to expectations or strictly controlled outcomes but rather define the flow of our life and aid in making conscious choices on a day-to-day basis.
We have the opportunity to ask our small "why" when we set an intention and move to the big why that defines our values. For example, if your intention is to lose weight, then why do you want to lose weight? Is it the desire to be healthy? Why do you wish to be healthy? Perhaps to have more energy and longevity or spend time with your loved ones. A little more soul-searching can help to discover that health and family are your priorities.
You can then weave those values and priorities as you go about shopping, cooking, exercising, work-life, vacations, and other aspects of your life.
Intentions also help to unearth the real reasons why we make certain choices and confirm if those are ego-centered or coming from the depths of our hearts. Are they conditioning and subscribing to a specific image, or are they aligned with who you are at your core?
For example, it may be great to make more money or enter a new relationship, but answering why you want more wealth and how you wish to use it will keep you motivated for the right reasons. Similarly, is the need for a relationship arising out of fear of being alone or meeting societal expectations, or is it a genuine desire to share your life with someone?
Our intentions can also shift during the course of our life as we evolve and navigate different circumstances.
For me, a big chunk of my life over the past few years has revolved around motherhood which is very fulfilling. However, my intention now is to ensure that I also attend to my physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. So, I carve out early mornings and late evenings for meditation, reading, walks, writing, and reconnecting to essence. I also embrace an imperfect life that does not always turn out how I wish to and yet gives me plenty to be grateful for.
You can also anchor on an intention as the "word of the day" that will support you. One-word intentions like "empowered, boundaries, courage, patience" can be helpful for challenging situations or people. Other intentions like "rest, self-care, calm, compassion" can be another overarching theme that guides your day.
Try also to anticipate obstacles and how you plan on managing those. It helps to visualize your intention and see yourself as healthy, successful, peaceful, etc., to begin and stay the course.
Intention is the first step to mindfulness. Once an intention to cultivate awareness is established, we place attention on our breath, body, and the present moment. An attitude of nonjudgment, curiosity, and acceptance allows us to emerge from distractions and reconnect with the intention to be mindful.
We can make more conscious decisions as we live more mindfully and less on autopilot. At work, this can be in the form of giving feedback, responding to an email, or talking to a client; once we know our intention for the conversation, we're likely to show up with greater clarity, presence, and effectiveness. When we take more ownership of our thoughts and behavior, we can reflect, observe, and respond rather than lash out in reactivity.
Here are ten steps to cultivate intention:
Intentions are more powerful when they come from a calm, centered place rather than from feelings of lack or competition. Choose a time when you are somewhat undisturbed and peaceful to set your intention.
Associate it with a habit. For example, set your intention early morning when you have your coffee, after your jog or meditation, after walking the dog or dropping the kids off - pick whatever works well with your lifestyle and routine.
Questions that can help you set intentions are: What matters most today? What and who is important in my life? What does my heart yearn for? Are my priorities aligned with that? If not, how can I bring that gradually with a small step today?
When moments of choice or detour arise during the day, stay connected to your intention. Feedback is welcome but don't let self-doubt or judgment of others distract you from your center or groundedness.
Bring to mind and take note often about how you feel around certain activities and people, especially around what brings you joy and what drains you. Set an intention to add more things that bring you contentment and peace.
When you have some quiet moments of reflection, perhaps when sitting in nature or with the help of a life coach, set intentions for your lifespan: What values matter to you? What can you accept, change or remove? What adds fulfillment and vibrancy to your life?
Keep your intentions visible with a sticky note or a reminder on the refrigerator or your phone to keep you inspired and focused on them.
If your day does not go as you had intended, make peace with that and begin again the next day.
What is your word for the day?
You can share with a friend or an accountability partner or make it a family or team ritual.
The more you set and use intentions, the more they will become a part of you to pause, reflect and place attention on things that genuinely matter. It is the foundation for intentional living and not letting life pass you by!
Herky loves helping students deepen their meditation practice, and take it off the cushion into their lives. She teaches regularly in our online meditation studio. Join her for a class this week!