The Power of Intention

We hear people wax poetic about The Power of Intention at the beginning of yoga class or on social media but what does “Intention” even mean? And what does it have to do with you?

What is Intention?

Intention is your directed will. Intention is your declaration to The Universe. Intention is your power. According to Deepak Chopra, “Intention is the starting point of every dream. It is the creative power that fulfills all of our needs, whether for money, relationships, spiritual awakening, or love. Everything that happens in the universe begins with intention.”¹

I know how it feels to look at the scale and not see the weight you want to see. To sit a job you don’t like but feel unsure about how to change things. To look at your bank account and realize you overspent again. To feel hopeless and like no one understands you. To feel like you’re alone.

When we pity-party spiral we give up our power. We create a movie for ourselves called “Victim” where we have the starring role. We complain, we whine, we mope, we resign ourselves to feeling defeated. We let the current external state of affairs dictate our internal state. Instead of living in an active state, we live in a passive one.

How Do We Use Intention?

This is where intention comes in. The power of intention is the power of decision. All you have to do is DECIDE. You can decide to change the movie from “Victim” to “Victor”. You can decide to get healthy once and for all. You can decide to better manage your finances. You can decide to put yourself out there and expand your comfort zone. You can decide to change.

These decisions all begin with a thought, an intention. Gary Zukav reminds us “You create your reality with your intentions”². When you combine your will and intention to change, something magical happens. As you get clear about your intentions and cultivate gratitude, The Universe conspires to help you and a new reality starts to emerge.

Setting an intention can center around a positive quality you want to cultivate, an aspect of life you want to change, or breaking a habitual pattern. It doesn’t matter if it takes the form of a word, an affirmation, or a mantra; what matters is the spirit behind the intention. Humans have free will for a reason. No matter our situation, we can decide in a moment to turn things around. If your heart is in the right place, your intention is on fertile ground. We can choose to see the present moment as a launching pad for our future. We can choose to see today as the day everything changes.

What Now?

This post is for you because it’s time to regain control. It’s time to remember who you are and what you’re called to do. You are stronger than you think. With the power of intention, you can change your life. You can start a new job search, recommit to your spiritual practice, or just start being nicer to yourself. You can redesign your life and create a new ending for your movie. You have that power!

Remind yourself of your intentions daily using vision boards, affirmations, visualizations, meditations, or anything else your heart desires. After your reminder, detach from the outcome. Allow space for your intention to be made manifest in your life. Don’t pray for something but be picky about how it comes. Relax and allow. Trust that all things are working together for your highest good.

Your intentions blossom in your life as you start to embody and become them NOW, in the present. You don’t have to wait until a later date. Once you make the decision to change, you can start now from where you are. If you want to develop compassion, listen to inner self-talk and be more compassionate to yourself. If you want to get in shape, sign up for a workout class or go for a walk during lunch today. If you want to manifest a new relationship, clear out mementos and ghosts of boyfriends past to make room. If your intention is to create more financial abundance, work on being a better steward of the money you have now.

Having a clear intention informs our actions in the present. The present moment is where we create the future we want. The Power of Intention is not a magic genie so understand that you will need patience. Have faith that what’s for you is for you and enjoy the journey as each day you get closer and closer to the life you’re meant to be living. You can do it.

You’ve Got The Power

There was a time when I didn’t understand how powerful intentions were. I didn’t understand that I could simply decide and commit to changing my life. I learned about this power on my journey towards a healthy + happy life.  As I began to apply this principle in my life, little by little I saw everything transform. For example, through my intention to share these empowering + transformative tools I’ve learned, I’ve become a yoga teacher, produced a yoga retreat, and created the Fierce Clarity community. If I can do it, you can too.

You’re co-creating your reality with a Power greater than yourself. You can call that Power by any name you choose, but you have to know it’s there and trust there is a plan and a purpose for your life. Your intentions help you align with this greater plan because you can’t dream a better dream for yourself than the OG Dreamer can. 

I hope you understand that you are powerful beyond measure. I hope you begin to see the light in you that shines so brightly. I hope you recognize and remember you have more control than you think. I hope you begin to use the Power of Intention to create beauty and change in your life. I believe in you and I believe in all of us. I believe creating a better world begins on an individual level with creating better lives for ourselves. We don’t have to play small. We deserve it ALL! I’ll leave you with this quote by Marianne Williamson that always reminds me who I am and what I’m here to do.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Sources:
1.   5 Steps to Setting Powerful Intentions. http://www.chopra.com/articles/5-steps-to-setting-powerful-intentions#sm.0000e2p44mjvney4rqs28yrdpb7qq
2.   The Seat of the Soul. Gary Zukav. Published 1989.