Intentions. What exactly are they? They aren’t goals that you tell yourself that you are definitely going to achieve. However, they are helpful when you sit down to set a goal. The spin instructors at the recreation center usually encourage people in the class to think about their intentions. I really enjoy going to these classes because they provide a reset for an hour and force me to take a break from my phone and social media while I’m working out. Once I am done with the class, I always feel optimistic and am a lot more intentional with my actions for the rest of the day.
According to Mara Connolly, “when you’re setting powerful intentions you’re creating within yourself a new and specific state or frame of mind that serves your purpose in life.” Life can be like a bicycle where you may fall off sometimes. Intentions are part of the ride where you pick yourself back up and push to keep riding. When you set the right intentions, the ride down the hill is a lot smoother. How can you take the next step and contribute to making your mindset more positive? Ever since I started to set intentions, I feel more positive about going into a new challenge.
One of my biggest intentions this semester is to find time during the week to experience peace in order to relieve anxiety. I did not find this time last semester and ended up having many health problems due to putting my body in a state of stress. When I think of it as an intention instead of a goal, I am more likely to take the action to attain the powerful intention. I have been relieving stress and preventing burnout by working out, attending yoga classes, and allowing myself to get enough sleep.
When I am on the spin bike, I think about my intention behind taking the class. Most of the time it is to get a break from my busy schedule and do something purely for myself. This is not something that anyone is telling me to do. I am doing this because I know it will be something to look forward to especially if I have a difficult day. As a result, I become a lot more motivated about the things I may not be as excited about.
Taking psychology classes has helped me learn about the mind, how it influences how people behave, and more importantly, how I have acted in the past. I realized I was not intentional with my actions which caused me to make impulsive decisions that I would come to regret. Therefore, I had more negative thoughts and would always feel like nothing was lining up for me. I have been intentional this semester which has allowed me to be less impulsive and become an overall better decision-maker.
Intentions, when set right, are created to ease the chaos that comes with the different stages of life. Intentions offer a new level of commitment and can transform your life for the better.
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