Welcoming a new year is often a time we reflect on where we have been and where we are going…perhaps we even make ‘resolutions’ for the new year, promising ourselves a positive new direction. But that is somewhat different than an intention.
If you look at the history of the word intention, you’ll see that it means ‘to stretch out’ and ‘to turn your attention to something’. Intention is really about what, at our deepest level, we are ‘stretching out’ towards – what our hearts and minds are aspiring to or paying attention to, what we are becoming.
What are you stretching out towards in your life?
To make an intention, reflect on what life is asking from you, and how you would like to meet that. Is there someone whose qualities you admire? What quality do you want more of in your life? Making an intention tunes you into what you value; unlike a goal, it is a quality of being and focus that we bring to our life. Clarity on your intention is stabilizing in a way, it helps you prioritize, and make every-day choices and goals. Things get simpler: Will this support my intention and align with my heart, is it resonant with what I want to become? An intention supports our deeper alignment of spirit, heart, mind and action with what is most important to you, what matters most to you.
My intention this year bubbled up from my belly as I was reflecting on this last year. Joy came up and impressed my heart…yes, cultivating joy is my intention this year (as well as living with intentionality ;). It is something I want to bring to every area of my life, what my world needs more of. What do you want more of in your life, what are you cultivating? Remembering your intention every day is remembering who you are and what you want most. I invite you to living intentionally this year…and take wonderful and joyous good care of yourself!
*Image art by Paula Nicho Cumez