What is your intent for life?
People widely agree, that we are living a happier life when we know the motivation behind our actions and act according to it. However, not everyone is clear about their very own intent for life. What do you want to do with your life? What is the direction that feels right to you? Are you triggered by your inner belief or are you more influenced on what seems desirable according to media and society?
In this article, I want to highlight what intent is, how you can reflect on your very own intent for life and start living accordingly.
What is intent? A short definition
The dictionary describes Intent as showing great determination doing something with full attention and effort. One of the biggest challenges of intent is that we are not always aware of our very own viewpoint on life. We are influenced by friends, family, and society as a whole. Scrolling through social media and flipping through magazines we are encountered with a certain way of life that is promoted. We start to run after this specific image on what a successful, happy life looks life. Often this entails owning certain things, looking a certain way or owning a particular professional position. Intent is behind all our decisions in life. What education do we aim for? What job did we choose? What boxes do we want to tick before we start a job at a certain company? Intent is our trigger, our core motivation, and our steering wheel.
Are you living a life aligned your values?
The thing is: Intent is not a light switch we can just switch off. We always have intent, but it is not constantly conscious to us nor does it has to be aligned with the values we have in life. You can now choose to know your intent, or you can choose to ignore it. However, be aware that ignoring our intent is like ignoring our goals. We are on the ride without knowing the destination. It takes bravery to look ourselves in the eyes and check in to our intent. It might be something that we did not know. We might be disappointed by our intent or even shocked. However, the secret is: You can create whatever intent you want. It is not given to us by birth, but we can decide on our very own intent every morning we wake up. If we are a more reflective person, we will even ask us before going to bed how helpful this intent has been to us throughout the day. The more important point is, that the intent we chose is aligned with us and not with the life of someone else. Intent should be matched to our values, our perception of life and what is important to us and not to the ones around us. For most of us, the hardest thing is to live a life that is not craving for acknowledgment by others. Check in with yourself: Have you reached a goal recently that did not feel quite right? Have others complimented you to something that did not fill you with joy?
The two sides of intent
Be careful when thinking about intent. Intent can also be negative. Let’s say you have created the intent of being the victim – this will lead to you being the victim. If you said to yourself that you want to be successful, you would more likely be successful than a victim. Of course, it’s not that easy, but manifesting your intent helps. If you are thinking about your intent, you will be clearer in your communication and actions. Hence, intent is a powerful tool that can go in both directions. Reflection on your idea of life and what is important to you will help you to adjust.
How meditation helps with reflecting on your life goals
Many find meditation a useful tool to find intent. Why? Well, meditation helps us to exit the hamster wheel for a short amount of time and forces us to concentrate on ourselves, our breath, our immediate surrounding. Meditation aims to put all thoughts about work and private struggles aside. It helps us to connect with us in a different way than we are used to.
- Is it living in a big house?
- Is it being surrounded by friends and family?
- Is it owning a nice car?
- Is it travelling the world?
- Is it being creative?
- Is it having responsibility for people and propojects?
- What makes you happy?
If you don’t see yourself rolling out the mat and sit in a cross-legged yoga position, what about using that commuting time? Try not to stare on the phone for a change but be with yourself. It will take a bit of concentration of just sitting there in the bus, not starring at other people, not using the phone, not listening to a podcast but merely sitting there and reflecting on your life. What makes you happy? What worries you? In what situations do you feel comfortable? When do you feel like a fraud or an actress? What is important to you in life? Is it living in a big house? Walking outside in nature? Living a sustainable lifestyle? Living in a big family? Having lots of friends? Treating our body with high-quality food and great nutrition? Owning many things? Being an early tech adopter? Traveling the world?
What makes you happy? Which of those thoughts make you smile? Check in on yourself and reflect?
Next: Think about how these two are connected? How is your current lifestyle connected to what is essential for you in life?
The value exercise
Hopefully, this little exercise is helpful to you. If you need a bit more guidance, I can highly recommend the value exercise I am using in my coaching and which I am offering as a free download in your inbox. It’s a great exercise to start the reflection process, and it is fun and easy to follow. Sign-up to the Share-the-Love Newsletter and I will send you your free download with the Welcoming mail. Let me know how it worked for you and if it triggered a change in what kind of intent you set yourself before starting the day.
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Eine Antwort
Its informative article thanks.