Intention. I know you know what it means, but when pressedto define it in words your tongue may get a bit tied. Most people somehowrelate intention to goals or the process of goal achievement. And that is true, as we must ‘intend?in order to accomplish. But intention is so much more than simply the road to completing a goal. Intention has a decidedly spiritual side. Even the dictionary has a definition that involves intention as prayer.
Sowhat’s the purpose of all this? Who cares about all this intention mumbo jumboanyway? Well, intention is a powerful tool in life and if you’re not alreadyusing it to the best of your abilities, you’re missing out. Using powerfulintentions is a primary way for us to focus ourselves and be open to new information.
A powerful intention is like a lighthouse. The lighthouse shines a strong powerful beam of light thatacts as a beacon for the ships at sea. I would bet that at some time you havefelt like a ship at sea, lost perhaps, buffeted around by strong currents andwaves, and finding a beacon ?or following your intention - can give you justthe direction you need.
So, intention is a tool that creates direction, focus,and openness in our lives.
Often folks mistake intentions and goals. There’s abig difference.
Goals are attainment ideals that we set for sometime in thefuture. Two things to think about with goals ?the energy that we use toaccomplish goals is push; and goals keep us in the future.
Intentions, on theother hand, are aims that guide our action in the present moment. Intention iswhat allows us to discover better ways of approaching our current challengesand remaining in the moment. It is really only in the present moment where wehave our power ?the past is gone, and the future isn’t here yet, so your poweris how you act right now.
Jennifer Louden, http://www.comfortqueen.com wrote about this distinction beautifully in her book, ‘The Women’s RetreatBook? She advises framing intentions in the form of a question. Questions tendto make us more open to opportunities and awareness, rather than simply havingthe tunnel vision of accomplishment and checking things off your to do list.Ithink you’re all pretty familiar with what goals looks like:
Increase salary byend of the year
Paint living room this weekend
Call 5 new leads by FridayHere are some examples of intentions:
How can I best care for myself this week?
What do I need to do to be my most productive?
How can I listen and honor my own inner wisdom?
What are the natural resources in my life that serve me?
How can I ask for help?
When do I need to hold my boundaries?
Feel the difference between the push of the goal and the pull of theintention. Both are useful tools, you just need to know how to use them both effectively.
In the Weekly Women’s Focus and Intention Call (visit my websitefor more details) that I conduct, women spend time creating powerful intentionsthat steer their actions during the week. These women find this weekly practiceextremely helpful in grounding themselves during the week, and in providingdirection in what is often a chaotic environment. For these women, intentionprovides the necessary guidance to stay on track - both with their to do list,as well as their inner feelings of control and satisfaction.
Intention ispowerful! Do you have powerful intentions in your tool belt?
Copyright 2005 Catherine A. Bruns. This article may be reprinted in full with the following attached: Life Coach Catherine Bruns helps women to achieve their goals while creating a balance between what they do and who they are. For more information visit http://www.balancecoach.com