Planting Intention in Your Life

A quick google search of the definition of intention brings up words like "purpose, goal, and aim". In today's modern society, many of us go through our days as if on a hamster wheel - repeating the same cycle over and over again until we begin to experience exhaustion, boredom, sadness, and restlessness.

Starting in 2020, I began to audit my thoughts, habits, and behaviors - I realized that almost every single day looked exactly like the one before it. How would I ever create change in my life if I was repeating patterns that led to repeated outcomes? I delved into professional development and spirituality - not completely sure what I was looking for - but simply knowing that my life felt unfulfilled motivated me to continue seeking....something.

It was during this time I began to explore and understand the profound power of intentional creating. It was Dr. Wayne Dyer who quoted in his book, The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-Create Your World Your Way, "Intention is infinite potential - Intention is a place we all have in us".

Immediately after reading this you may think to yourself - if this is something we all possess why are some of us more successful? Happier? More fulfilled? Abundant? Those were my thoughts, as well.

Advancing into Dr. Dyer's teachings with an open mind, I quickly realized that I was unhappy because I had allowed my decisions to be made from my ego-self instead of the intentional creator that laid dormant inside of me. Instead of creating from a place of service and inspiration, I was creating from a place of outcome driven action. I was allowing the conditioning of achievement, profit, and goal attainment to dictate what I was putting out into the world then wondering why I lacked true purpose.

When we allow circumstances of our outer world to impact how we feel and control our emotions - we are setting ourselves up to be disappointed over and over again. When we allow ego to determine our path we disconnect from our inner beings. Our inner being possesses the wisdom to know if the path we are on is the correct one.

To activate intention is to activate purpose. To activate intention is to activate inspiration. Have you ever allowed yourself to explore what is genuinely possible for you without weighing yourself down with the limits produced by the ego?

To follow the ego is to lose your way. To follow your joy is to reconnect with your purpose.

Dr. Dyer outlines 4 steps to intention in The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-Create Your World Your Way. I will break them down here.

The first step to intention is Discipline. This refers to the practices, habits, and routines that support what we intend to create. If your intention is to lose weight, for example, yet your diet consists of high sugar foods and you lead a sedentary lifestyle - your habits and routines are not in alignment with your intention.

The second step to intention is Wisdom. Wisdom refers to focus and patience. This is an imperative step - in a world where we are conditioned for immediate gratification, waiting can seem impossible. But intentional creation requires time - when planting a seed, you don't unbury it every day to check it's progress. You wait and focus on creating an environment conducive to it's growth.

The third step to intention is Love. It seems so basic but when you love what you do and do what you love you are on the path of intention. Step outside of yourself several times a day and audit your emotions. If the majority of the emotions you feel are joy, happiness, gratitude, and love - you're on the path of intentional creation. If your feelings consist of sadness, bitterness, frustration, and unhappiness that is your cue to pivot. You are traversing the wrong path.

And finally the last and most difficult (at least for me!) step to intention is Surrender. This is the part where we release the need for outcomes, relax, and trust our intuitive guidance that what we set forth will play out according to our intention. This is where most of us get tripped up. If we have no physical evidence to support our intention is coming to fruition, how can we remain steadfast in our creation? I have found visualization and meditation to be helpful. By visualizing my intention manifesting itself, I am able to let go and allow. Distraction is another way to surrender. Focus on something else and trust the seed will grow.

If you take anything from this article, I urge you to become cognizant of your daily thoughts and where they originated. Thoughts regarding your limits or worth are ego-driven and not in alignment with your true purpose. Change your thoughts and change your life.