Every year for the past 7 years, I have been setting a one-word intention for the year. It has helped me narrow down decisions, trajectories, collaborations that would serve me for the year. What it also helped me with, was setting boundaries for myself.
An INTENTION is a guiding principle on how you want to live, show up, make yourself be visible. It’s an aim, a purpose or an attitude that you commit to. They are representations of your core values, perspectives in life and aspirations.
How is an intention different from a goal? An intention doesn’t focus on one single outcome. Goals are valuable in completing tasks and are focused in the future. Intentions on the other hand, are firmly grounded in the present moment and independent of expected outcomes. Goals are made for specific outcome whereas intentions are made to focus on how you want to be moment by moment.
There is a downside to doing only goal setting. It keeps us away from the moment and it amplifies on what we don’t have.
Ever had those situations where you felt frustrated with not being able to finish off your set goals?
Goal setting can demotivate us in making our brilliant ideas come alive. Intention setting balances that off by helping us ground ourselves to what matters to us. Setting intentions remind us of who we want to be, who we want to impact and the change we want to see. Partnering intentions with goals can help you make you go from ideas to impactful actions.
This year, I chose re-rooting as my one word. Leaning in the works of Leny Strobel from the Center for Babylan Studies has inspired me in exploring how to reclaim my relationship with my roots.
What does it really mean to “re-root” myself?
In the land where I am now?
In my cultural identity?
With my relationships?
With the work that I am doing and where I am called to focus on?
With who I am drawn to serve?
These will be questions to explore for 2023!
My one-word intention supports me in alignment, clarity and integrity with the day-to-day moments. It helps me re-assess, remember and recalibrate my actions in ways that are of service to my essence, to others and to the wider field. My one-word intention is not just about me, it's about how I am in kapwa (shared humanity) with those around me.
How about you, what is your one-word intention?
How do you see, hear, feel this word in your life, in your work, in your relationships?
Which area/s in your life can you embody this word?
What would be made possible as you embrace this word fully?
Why not download and use this workbook that I created to help you tune in to what your 2023, one word intention could be?
Hey Lana! Thankyou so much for your invitation to work on intentions. I have gone through the exercise and curiously my one-wor intention is also somehow related to the ground (and water): SOWING. Actually, it is both a verb and an acronymous standing for "Self, Others, Whole". I want to tend and care to Self, Others and the Whole. And I am already allowing all the consequences of this intention to emerge, starting from now. As it inspires images also related to farming, I like the image and felt sense of a patient and grateful farmer. Thankyou again.