I recently stumbled upon a question packed with so much power…

Am I really living from my intentions?

So many of us, including myself, want to do good in the world, but sometimes we aren’t moving our goals forward which can leave us feeling stuck. One thing I’ve found helpful is to honestly revisit my intentions and my actions to see if they are in sync with each other. When our intentions and our actions are working together this sets the stage for miracles.

Our intentions are our soul’s calling to draw closer into our heart’s desires. As we live within our intentions, we begin to grow deeper into the potential we have dwelling inside of us. We blossom into higher versions of ourselves when our actions are predicated by our intentions. It dismisses us from borderline living when we think one way in our heart, but yet act in a way that does not support our core aspirations.

Intention is awesome, but it’s only an idea if it lacks supportive action. We can have the best intentions in the world, but if how we are living doesn’t back them up then our intentions are really just thoughts. It’s one thing to have an intention to do something but it’s another to actually take action that is backed by intent.

“Intentional living means we are taking actions in full alignment with our intentions.”

We can intend to wake up earlier and get more work done or have meditation time in the morning, but are we hitting the snooze button when the alarm goes off only to leave it for tomorrow?

We can intend to eat less sugar or to lose weight, but when the menu comes are we actually choosing healthier options?

We can intend to live our lives in a way where we are leading by example, but are we truly living in a way others would want to mirror?

We can intend to stop drinking or to quit our vices, but when the cravings begin do we exercise definitive willpower?

We can intend to work harder or be more driven by motivation, but when the time comes to push through are we really going the distance?

When we’re living from our intentions, we are aligning ourselves to that small voice inside of us that always knows the right direction to go. When we tune into our intentions and get very clear on what they are, it helps us to begin living our lives from them. In my own quest to live a more intentional base life, I’ve realized living from our intentions is a process and a practice. Here are some steps for living a more intention inspired life.

Define your intentions.

Create some statements that identify what your intentions are for this time in your life by asking questions. How do you want to live? Who do you want to align yourself with? What are you trying to achieve? How are you trying to accomplish your goals? What do your goals require of you? What kind of person do you want to be? How do you want others to think of you? Ask yourself these kinds of questions and give some thought to mapping out what your intentions are by bringing awareness to what comes up for you.

Daily practice.

Every day remind yourself of your intentions. This can be in the morning, at lunch or before you go to sleep. Carve out a few minutes each day to mindfully review your intention list. As you begin taking steps towards your future and creating actionable plans, ask yourself if those plans and actions are in line with the intentions you have identified. This requires mindfulness and self-discipline to bring your intentions into your decision-making processes throughout the day.

Become a witness.

Extend grace to yourself when you begin this practice. There is no need to beat yourself up. Just take notice of your behavior with your intentions in mind. Do they line up? Are they off balance? Are you seeing patterns in your actions that you know deep down do not match your intentions? If we can get into the habit of taking notice and just being a witness to our actions, it helps us to become more mindful and allows us the space to make necessary adjustments.

The Shift

By following this practice for some time, a shift occurs, naturally in most cases. Once we become more aware of how our actions may not be aligning with our intentions, we gracefully and consciously start making new decisions and taking different action steps that better fulfill our intentions. They are the foundation for how we live. Significant shifts can occur by coming back to our core and setting standards for our actions, which is a daily practice.

When we create intention-filled action we gain the most momentum. That’s where we see the rubber meet the road. And that’s when we find the wings we need to fly.

We must be willing to let go of things, people and patterns that keep us from living from our intentions. If we want true happiness and success, it requires us to stop playing small by becoming willing to let go of bad habits that trip us up and by discarding patterns that no longer serve us.

I truly believe a key to experiencing more happiness comes from living intentionally. When our actions and behaviors are in line with our highest, best intentions, we step into a greater expression of living.

Staying focused on our true intentions, living in a way that supports them and practicing life on this level of operation expands us internally, which in turn allows us to be at our best for those around us.

Our intentions fuel our deepest desires. True greatness comes from living from our intentions. See if you can let your intentions sincerely drive your actions and let me know what happens. I hope this message serves you. Namaste.