Being Intentional
On purpose. For a reason. Definite. When we are intentional with our time and our efforts the difference is tremendous.
I made some decisions and set some intentions at the end of 2015, about what kind of year I wanted in 2016. I definitely had one of the best years of my life, without question. Maybe the very best in fact. It was not an accident, I believe that the powerful intentions and public declarations that I stated as last year closed and this year began were the reason.
Being intentional is not wishing for something. It is not a passive desire.
Being intentional is directing energy and focus towards what we want and acting deliberately to manifest it.
When we stop waiting and decide to get up and move and fix our lives and ourselves — that is intention at work. A focused decision followed by massive, consistent action. Without the consistency in action, the power of intention is not fully harnessed.
I am not yet a master of this. But, I broke through so many times in the past year that I have definitely learned a few things worth sharing. I want to explain exactly how what and why I became so focused this year — and what it meant for me.
2016 — My 27th Year
I said it, I believed it, and I knew it. This was my year. 27 is my lucky number, and I turned 27 on January 27th. Stars were lining up for me. But, I know enough about luck to know it is not a passive practice, it requires our energy and effort to remain with us without sudden reversal.
I entered 2016 with a mindset focused on a good year ahead — my luckiest and best year. I then declared it to my friends on New Year’s Eve, I was going to make things happen this year. I was going all in.
Rather than leave it there, I took that determination into my goal setting practice. This practice has evolved greatly over the last decade and is repeated several times a year — setting goals once a year is NOT enough.Deciding on some weak New Years resolutions and then abandoning them after 30 days into a forgotten hinterland is not how achievements or fulfillment are met.
The physical and emotional state we are in when we set goals matters too. Approaching goals with a “why even bother” or “this stuff does not work” mindset will return your negative energy to you in a lack of results. That’s why I was charged up when I set my goals for this year.
Did I reach every single goal with zero obstacles or setbacks? No. I am not perfect, nor do I masquerade as someone for whom things are easy. I toil. Probably a little too much from time to time. But, that being said my toil taught me more this year than ever. And I did accomplish many of my goals, even one I set back in 2012!
After setting my goals and the clear intention of this year becoming my year to break through, I made further statements on my birthday. I decided to get a tattoo as a reminder that this is my year. A reminder that I am going after my dreams no matter what. A reminder that I am lucky — even just to be alive. I told the people that I spent my birthday with and my close friends that I was more determined than ever this year.
So then everything just worked out, no problem? Not quite. Even after setting my intentions, goals, and permanently marking my body with a reminder — I was still in my own way. I was still my own worst enemy at times.
This lead me to change my lifestyle drastically, and eliminate as many vices as I possibly could. This also leads me to ask myself some deeply reflective questions. The questions I asked myself brought focus and brought me to this practice of Writing Wednesday, now 47 weeks in. What I asked myself was “Do I really want this, or not?” This being my vision, my dreams and my plans for a great future of growth, and contribution. Following that question with “If you do really want it, why are you allowing vices to get in your way?” and “If you want to be a writer, why are you not writing?”
These questions are powerful, and to answer them truthfully brought me great clarity and strengthened my motivation. I do really want my vision. I must no longer allow vices to squander my time and energy. And I have no excuse to not be writing.
The intentions and focus I brought to this year lead me to ask these questions of myself, because I raised my standards and my expectations. I intended to have an amazing year, full of progress and breakthroughs, but I had maintained some old negative habits, and not put in as much consistent time into my vision as was necessary to truly break through.
After my contemplative breakthrough, and the beginning of Writing Wednesday, I doubled down on my Personal Development. I enrolled in Unleash The Power Within. A Tony Robbins event — where many more powerful questions were asked and many breakthroughs occurred. A huge boost up half way through my lucky year.
Things were never the same after that. I resolved to always live in a beautiful state, and as challenging as that has been, resolving to do that has been one of the most beneficial choices of my entire life. Life is short, we all must make the most of our time. I will not allow anything but the smallest minority of my time to be spent outside happiness and harmony.
The rest of my year has been tremendous, to say the least. Magical. The whole of 2016 has been advantageous, for me personally. Although there have been global issues, and even one morning this year where I was very emotionally weak, I still know that my intentions were met.
I still know that the power of intention is real, and I will use it to even greater effect this year.
Just watch me.
This is the 47th installment of Writing Wednesday. Please let me know your thoughts or questions on the subject of intentional living.
