Until a few years ago, it was safe to say that I was more than a little out of control. Every day was a blur of frantic action from the minute my very ugly feet (only I can say that!!) hit the ground at daybreak, till they finally escaped the torture of 8inch heels and planted themselves safely (and out of scrutiny) under the sheets at night.

Life was one long “out of control” lurch to another as I chased goals and objectives – giving little thought to much else but the need to achieve.  But achieve what?  My day and its demands complete controlled me – not the other way around, which meant I spent most of my time being reactive.  I had zero control over who I was, who I wanted to be, how I behaved…I didn’t have time to even go to the bathroom (how many times have you gotten to the end of the day and realised you needed to go to the bathroom 4 hours ago??) let alone stop and consciously consider the impact I was making in and on the world around me.

Sigh.

My new discovery…

But then…I discover the power of intent.  The power of setting just one clear focus for the day…the power of being completely clear about how I want to show up in the world…and the power – and results – of conscious effort.

So, what exactly is an intention? 

An intention is a clear and powerful statement – made from the heart – that guides your thoughts, actions, behaviours and choices.  It’s simply a phrase that sets the tone for the day.  For me, setting an intention is about being clear on how I want to show up for the world.  It gives me clarity on what I want the day to look like, and it gives my day purpose and meaning.

An intention is a conscious effort…

It’s a guiding light throughout the day that reminds me of what’s really important. It helps me be the person I want to be and gives a purpose to everything I do.  It also lets me look back at the end of the day and say “Cool!  Yep – I nailed it!”  (Most days!)

Intentions are different to goals.  Goals focus on long term achievement – they’re our plans, strategies and visions for future success.  But intentions are about who you are in the present moment – they focus on who you want to be, how you want to contribute and how you choose to connect to the world around you.  They’re your wish list – and your guide – for creating an amazing life right here and now.

Choosing an intention…

Intentions to me are an active choice – so most of mine start of exactly as that:

– Today I choose to connect with everyone around me

– Today I choose to shine brightly so that everyone I meet feels special

– Today I choose to live with an open heart

– Today I choose to inspire and to be inspired

And my favourite……

– Today I choose to find joy and give joy

Is there a trick?

There’s no secret formula to deciding on my intention for the day – it’s not rocket science.  I usually sit for 5 minutes or so after my meditation and see what comes up.  I don’t overthink it – whatever comes up I go with. If nothing immediately comes to mind, I’ll ask myself “How do I want to show up today” or “What positive impact can I make on the world today” – and I’m very rarely left guessing!  If all else fails, just ask your heart – it will tell you!

Intentions have to come from the heart…if you don’t believe in them they’ll just evaporate into the ether.  There is now power or potency unless intentions come from a place of true belief and commitment.

Just for today…

I also love using the 5 Reiki principles for intention setting, as they offer a simple, yet beautiful way of harnessing our focus and energy:

– Just for today I will release anger

– Just for today I will not worry

– Just for today I will be grateful

– Just for today I will do my work honestly

– Just for today I will be kind to others

The power of “Just for today” is that it eliminates guilt, pressure and fear of failure. You’re not trying to make huge changes in your life, you’re not holding yourself to impossible standards, you’re not trying to radically transform who you are…you’re just making a small conscious change…just for today.  And even the smallest change in our beliefs, thoughts or actions plays a huge part in creating our future.

I also change my intentions regularly.  If I stick to the same intention day after day, I get bored and it loses its intensity.  One of the powerful things about setting a new intention every day is that it inspires you to be better – to do better – to really stretch to connect. And it’s hard “being kind” day after day after day!  Well, it is for me!

Bringing it to life…

Once I’ve decided on my intention, I do whatever I can, whenever I can throughout the day to bring it to life.  Intentions need action – you can’t just put them out to the Universe and then sit on the lounge waiting for things to happen!  You have to actively live your intention for the day with everything you’ve got!

And you have to be careful!  These things are powerful.  When you singularly focus your energy with passion and commitment, watch out – intentions can cause a pretty powerful reaction!

Be careful what you wish for…

On riding my motorbike through British Columbia, Canada recently, I set the intention of living the day with an open heart – which meant consciously making a meaningful connection with everyone who came my way. It was about putting the energy out there to nourish others – to connect, listen and find joy through stepping into their world.

Now an intention like this doesn’t just happen – you really need to do the work to bring it to life…but I’d only just made it to coffee before it started to kick in – big time.  I’d planned on a quick coffee hit to get the day started – but three hours later I was still at the coffee shop – my mug overflowing as I laughed with elderly wine growers, traded horror moose stories with bike riders, had my photo taken with a bunch of locals and got offered a free chopper ride by a young pilot.

But there’s more…

As I dragged myself away I couldn’t help but wonder at the power of the intention I’d set that morning.  But it didn’t stop there.  Being open-hearted saw me get off a speeding ticket (thank you Universe) – although spending an hour on the side of the road talking bikes with a highway patrolman probably helped…I was given fresh fruit by a young couple at a diner, and just when I thought this intention stuff had finished with me for the day…I pulled into a gas station, and in front of me was the scariest Harley rider I’d ever seen.

He was the real deal – covered in tats from head to foot – well – the bits that I could see anyway – bandanas, fists like meat grinders – yep – scary to the max.  Normally in the face of someone so ferocious, I would have made myself as inconspicuous as possible, but this was open heart day, remember?  I knew I had to live my intent.

Looking over at him while Van Halen pumped from his speakers, I shouted nervously:

“Cool song”. And it was.

He wandered over.  Oh no.  “Ya like that song?”  I nodded bravely.

“Do you dance Baby Doll?””

Who?  Baby Doll?  And do I what?  I don’t think so.  But there surrounded by grey power in RVs, cool bikers, families in 4-wheel drives and just about everything that moved, a huge scary Harley rider and this wimpy BMW chick did a turn at the gas station.

I’m not sure Van Halen would have approved – I think we both murdered “Jump” as we sang and danced – but it was quite the performance. It’s not often you get called Baby Doll by a terrifying Harley rider – and I’m not sure anyone else would have gotten away with it – but anything is possible on an open-heart day!

So be careful when you set an intent – when you put your entire heart, soul, mind and energy into it – making things happen!  I’m still friends with the Harley rider!

It doesn’t always go right…

And somedays…we don’t get it right.  Some days – no matter how much we’ve consciously focused on our intention for the day, our world blows out…you get a flat tire on the way to an important meeting, your boss hijacks you for a diabolical task, your dog runs away…some days, no matter how amazingly we’ve articulated our purpose – we forget.  I do – all the time!

No matter how strongly I’ve chosen to be kind, when someone cuts me off at the lights on my bike, that intent goes right out the window – or it would if I had a window.

Progress not perfection…

But here’s the thing – it’s like horse riding…we fall off – we notice it (obviously!) – we get back on and start again.  It’s a little like meditation – we follow our breathe, then a shiny new thought comes along so we chase that all over the place, only to remember 10 minutes later about our breathe. And that’s OK. Progress not perfection.

Even when we forget, being aware of the power of intent to change how we show up in the world starts adding more meaning and purpose to our lives.  It gives us greater control over how we show up, who we want to be and how we want to behave.

Intentions give us choice – we get to choose what we create, and with choice we can change our worlds.  Choose to start every day with a powerful intention, knowing that where you put your energy, amazing things will happen!