We can be crystal clear about our intentions…and then shit happens.
We loved all the words folks sent in after our last post about intention. And, we put them together in a word cloud – more about that later. But reading everyone’s words about what they want from this year, really got us thinking about the meaning of INTENTION. How powerful is it? Can we actually control the outcomes of our intention?
Here is what we are learning: We can be crystal clear about our intentions…and then shit happens.
Both of us are dealing with unexpected things in our personal lives. Things that have made it more difficult to reach our intentions for the year the way we had planned. (Wondering, if you have also noticed how life gets in the way of those wonderful intentions you set last month?)
We all deal with unexpected things that come up, but that doesn’t mean we have to let go of what we want, and of our promises to ourselves. We don’t always get to control what happens to us. But we do have control over how we go about getting there. And being clear about your intention can ground us in what we want to create. We are fully in the gray area – this is where most of us live. Your desired outcome is clear, black and white, but how you get there is going to shift, it is gray, because life is constantly changing around you.
At the beginning of the year we set our words, our intentions, and then learn about them – ALL YEAR LONG. Learning will emerge. It’s not a passive state. It’s an interactive sport! If we stay awake, we become really aware of how we see ourselves in the world. We can’t control the world around us, but we can choose to stay grounded in what is important to us as we go through life. We might fall off the horse, but we can consistently regain control by getting back on the horse and get really clear on how we ride that horse and what path we’re on. It’s about the process. The opportunity is to learn from that. Growth isn’t a straight line; learning comes from the discomfort of falling off now and then.
So we encourage you to lean into your intention, through the discomfort. Get curious. Ask yourself: What’s NOT working? What IS working. What are you trying to bring to life? Stay grounded in the outcome you wanted to create, but hold how you get there lightly – because things will change. Have your goals, but be light in how you reach them. Perhaps you delay a launch to make room for new incoming data. Or perhaps you take that bucket-list trip sooner than planned so it still happens in 2024, despite competing events. This is how you create the outcome you want, despite life’s way of getting messy.
Life will throw curves. When it does, remain grounded in your intention. You create the outcomes you want by having a positive mindset, the agility to go with the flow. Be flexible yet firm. As we say over and over – the only thing you can control is yourself. When you’re clear on your outcomes, you will get you through – even if it’s not the way you planned.
We’d love your take on this topic… has it been hard to stay grounded with your intentions? Please join the conversation and chime in by emailing [email protected]
Humanity works because of you!
Kate and Debbie
You chimed in on: The Power of Intention
Here’s your word cloud!
We got so many responses to our last newsletter asking for your words of intention for 2024. We loved hearing from everyone and hearing all your powerful intentions. We were struck by how much thought you all put behind your words. It wasn’t capricious, it was thoughtful. We loved being a part of spurring this type of awareness. What wonderful words and intentions to carry us all through the year.
