“Our intention creates our reality.” - Wayne Dyer
If you’re a part of the majority of people who completely abandon your resolutions before Feb. 1, you’re not alone, sis! One in four people quit within the first week of setting their New Year's resolution and 43% of people give up by February. This is because simply setting goals only focuses on the destination but doesn't prepare you for the process.
What if I told you that the practice of setting intentions could set you up for even greater success than just setting goals alone? If you’re not someone who sets goals or intentions often, you may consider them the same but understanding the unique qualities of both will help you stay on track to a more intentional and fulfilling life.
Why Goals Alone Don't Work
Goals focus solely on the tangible rewards and while that in itself can be motivating enough for some to effect change, long-term change is most likely achieved by connecting deeply to your 'why and building habits that support that 'why'.
Setting goals focused on the tangible, materialistic reward can be motivating in the short term, however, if you want to make lasting changes in your life, it's important to dig deeper into why you're setting these goals and to build healthy habits that will help you reach them. Ask yourself, why is it important to me to reach this goal? What do I want to achieve? How can I break it down into smaller steps that will help me reach my ultimate goal? Taking the time to reflect on your motivations and build habits that will support your 'why' can help you make long-term, sustainable changes.
Example of a goal: Save 10k by the end of the year.
What to do instead
One way we like to explore our 'why' is by setting intentions. Intentions are the road map to how you plan to do the inner work to feel like your best self. They are the foundational guiding principles that help align your thoughts, attitude, and actions with a desired outcome.
Unlike New Year's resolutions or year-end goals, intentions are much less about external achievements than they are about how you desire to feel about your relationship with yourself and others. This way, you aren't only accounting for what you want, you are also accounting for how you want to feel while you achieve it.
Being intentional isn’t about winning or losing it’s about choosing; choosing how you want to show up EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
Example of an intention: I intend on inviting more support in my life by being vulnerable with my needs and allowing others to be there for me.
TIP:
Get super intentional about both your internal world and external world for extra manifestation power!
How To Set Intentions
Intentions can be as broad or specific as you wish as long as they are heart-driven!
THE STEPS:
1. Explore how you want to feel by asking questions like:
What matters most to me?
What words align with how I wish to feel this year/month/week/day?
What do I need most in this area of my life? How do I invite more of that feeling into my life? How will I reset when I lose touch with that feeling?
2. Explore actionable steps you can take to invite more of that feeling into your life.
3. Combine your desired feeling and the action you will take to manifest it!
DESIRED FEELING + ACTION = BEING INTENTIONAL
Haven’t set your 2021 intentions yet? It’s not too late, girl! Use our FREE 2021 Intention Setting Guide to help design the life you want!
Don’t get us wrong, still set goals, ALWAYS set goals! But as you set them don’t forget to think about how you want to feel on the journey to achieving them and make the conscious decision to choose that feeling whether or not things go as planned. If you have set your intentions for the year, month or week leave a comment down below and give the girls some inspiration✨