Setting Intentions!

I speak to my patients often about setting intentions (instead of goals) for their health and their lifestyles. But what does this really mean?
Why intention vs goal? Goal often puts a great deal of pressure on an individual and can be stifling; whereas intentions can set us free to be our best selves.

Setting intentions for the new year starts with reflecting on the previous one. Reviewing what worked what didn’t, what were the inevitable challenges we faced. How we adapted a grew from those challenges.
Were the goals in alignment with our passion and purpose? Were they superfluous creating a sense of overwhelm and self doubt? Or did they build you up?

What is it that YOU are truly seeking?

From our failures we can gain a great deal of knowledge about ourselves.

Often it is the small decisions we make regularly…daily…weekly…monthly that lead us down certain paths. But it is ultimately the power of our decisions to set us not he right path (sometimes we don’t know that it is until we get there)

However, setting our intentions helps direct the mind and gives us purpose. When we lose sight of our purpose, it is easy to stray off the path (not always a bad thing). If one strays it is a good time to reflect on what is most important to you, to focus on the heart and what is most important to you to help clarify the intention at hand.

Sometimes this path is straightforward and other times it takes some soul searching to find that deep sense of contentment and inspiration but once you start setting forth on that path it becomes easier.

Some ways to set intention:
Connecting with the elements for your life that are most significant to you and bring you the greatest joy, satisfaction and energy. What gives you passion and fills you with a sense of purpose? (I often refer to the Japanese philosophy Ikigai)
I often start with a brain dump and a list, share it with my partner or close friend sometimes sitting with that person and doing this together. From this list I’ll reflect on each of the items to ensure it is really a passion or just a task vs an intention. As a business owner will sometimes have two lists…business intentions and personal intentions…but make it yours!
One of the things that often happens to people is that they have too many “intentions” on their lists which instead creates overwhelm. So sit with your list and really think of how your lists connects with your passion and purpose.
Create a word or short phrase that sums up all of your intentions. Let this become the mantra for the year especially when you get off track. Meditating on these can be helpful.
Once you’ve planted the seeds of your intentions…let go! Nurture your awareness of the new space you’ve created! Let it become the catalyst. Intention is much more powerful when coming from a place of contentment rather than a space of scarcity.
TO GET STARTED:
What are you passionate about? What do you want to cultivate more of in your life?
What is going well in your life?
What is going poorly and where can positive changes be made?

Sometimes keeping it simple is a great way to start and not to overwhelm it with too much…often when we place too many intentions it displaces our passion and purpose. Also these can sometimes change as time goes on as we are ever evolving beings.

I hope some of these tips help you create a vibrant passionate year setting it off for growth no matter how big or small!

Happy New year!

In health,

Dr. Dave