Your intention is behind everything you do and creates your reality. Whether your intention is purposeful, or you’re not aware of actually having one, either way, it will lead to an outcome.
While there’s value in going with the flow, it’s also important to understand that there is an intention in every circumstance whether you realize it or not.
When you head out in your day are you doing it with an intention to meet it with joy, or are you unconsciously seeing life as working against you before you even walk out the door?
When you speak to someone are you doing it with the intention of coming from kindness, or to hurt?
Do you really want to give of yourself, your time and attention to what you’re giving it to?
They’re big questions, but ones worth considering as they shape your days, and the energy you are able to bring to all areas of your being.
When we tap into our true intentions we connect into our authentic power, and it can be life changing.
You want the energy of your intention to be strong and coming from the right place, rather than forging ahead without having really much of an idea of why you do what you do. Then when you have an intention, much of what you want to create begins to flow around this in due course.
What is your pure reason for doing something?
A way of considering this might be looking at what you want in your life, and how you are living. Is it aligned with your values? Do you come to your life, relationships, and your work for the right reasons?
I know prior to doing the work I do now, I pretty much fell into everything I did, while sometimes quite thrilling, the film industry never fulfilled me or my spirit. I wish I’d asked myself these questions a lot sooner, as ultimately it also bought quite a bit of heartache with the fun, and it certainly didn’t give me the life satisfaction or purpose that I have now. I had to totally shift my intention.
Even now, I still always come back regularly to my intention behind why I teach meditation and practice Kinesiology, which is to be there to support my clients and students. So every time I come to a session, or class, I do my best to look at it as how can I support this person, or this group of people, what are their needs in this moment?
This can help me get out of my own way, and my own ego, to stop worrying about others expectations of me, and to not compare myself to what others might be doing, (which in a world of Instagram can sometimes be tricky), however when I feel myself go down that slippery slope I can pull myself back to that pure intention. How can I best support? This is why I am here, this is why I do what I do.
How can you bring more intention?
To do this why don’t we look at 3 areas, that many of us often live without intention.
How are you spending your time?
“Energy flows, where intention goes”.
Are you spending your time doing what is important to you? Or do you say yes to things you don’t want to do to please others?
Think about how you show up to that project, or meeting or event, that you don’t want to do. Are you arriving feeling great about being there? Probably not right. There is probably a little bit of resentment or frustration simmering under the surface. This might show up in your conversation, or the way you behave in those moments. Even if you’re a really great actor, people have a tendency to feel your energy anyway, which won’t leave you or the other person feeling great.
Another way we can lose heaps of time these days is letting hours slip away on social media, or watching the screen. Now there’s nothing wrong with a good bit of a escapism, I know, I for one need times where I get lost in a good bit of entertainment, but when we let those boundaries slip too much you can find yourself losing way more time than you intended. Know the feeling?
Even when there are things we have to do that maybe we don’t want to do, say if you’re stuck in a job that you’re not particularly satisfied in, but right now it’s a means to an end to support you with where you do want to go, and the greater goal; look for the blessing in that, that it’s providing the roof over your head, food on the table, or perhaps even paying for that course to change your direction.
If it really feels like you can’t show up in any type of positive way, perhaps it’s time to look at why you’re staying. Are there other options?
Who are you spending your time with?
“Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you; spend a lot of time with them and it will change your life.” Amy Poehler
Do you spend time with people who lift you up or bring you down?
Are they supportive, loving, kind? Are they able to call you on your stuff without dragging you down, or putting you down?
Or are you saying yes to hanging out with people that don’t mean that much because of a perceived expectation, or because you can’t say no, and therefore sacrificing time with the people that you do really want to be with?
Another really important thing to consider is that we begin to mirror the people we spend time with, so you might like to spend your time with the ones who you would like to be like. The type of people you interact with on a regular basis shapes who you are, and they can elevate you, or bring you down.
Are you living on purpose and in line with your values?
“‘Cheshire Cat,’ asked Alice. ‘Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?’ ‘That depends a good deal on where you want to go,’ said the Cat. ‘I don’t much care where,’ said Alice. ‘Then it doesn’t matter where you go,’ said the Cat.” ~ Lewis Carrol
Often we end up living on auto pilot, not really making conscious choices, kind of just allowing life to happen to us, not really knowing what our values are or why we do what we do. Or perhaps you are living for other people’s expectations of you, or others values, rather than your own?
Much of creating a life of intention, becomes with building awareness of where you want to go and what is meaningful to you. While this is a fairly large topic, a first place to start is, what makes you feel happy, what do you enjoy? Asking yourself “what do I really want here?”
Is there a big distance between how you live, behave, or what you say, and that of your true spirit within? That is the gap that you want to start to begin to close, the path you want to walk, to begin to lessen that distance.
Bringing mindfulness to our lives helps us to begin to see where we are putting our energy and our focus, and when we are aware, that’s where can start creating from a place of inner knowing, and trust that we are heading in directions that are right for us.
When you tap into that authentic place of your intention, begin to come from the heart in everything you do, you can give of yourself to each situation.
You can be where you are because you really want to be there, fully embracing each moment.
It begins to automatically shift the way you live, the opportunities and people that show up, and ultimately leads you to a deeper sense of life satisfaction.
In my Spring To Life workshop on September 15th, we will begin to explore our values and intention in greater detail. For more information and bookings.
Article by Sacha Stewart
Sacha knows the pressure of the corporate world, and experienced first-hand how much impact stress and anxiety had on the mind and body. Her passion became about educating others in wellbeing and holistic methods, to create balance, peace, greater awareness and connection.
A certified meditation teacher, Sacha teaches regular classes at some of the most highly regarded studios in Melbourne, including Happy Melon Studios and A-Space, as well as bringing her knowledge on Meditation and Mindfulness to corporate organisations.
In addition she is a practicing Kinesiologist and Mind Body Medicine Practioner, and facilitates small group workshops for people to develop increased personal awareness, through energy medicine techniques and inner connection.
W: www.sachastewart.net
I: @sachastewart_bewell
