As the days in quarantine drag on, it can be easy to lose motivation to do...well just about anything. You can start to feel like everything is the same, day in and day out, like we have lost control, lost direction, lost purpose. Anyone else?
There is a way to take back that direction and purpose. That way is intention setting.
An intention is a word or a statement that describes how you want to show up in the world and what you would like to attract into your experience. It is a purpose. Setting your intention is the first step towards embodying how you want to feel.
If you wake up in the morning and think to yourself, today I will be full of patience, or this morning I'm going to find more peace with my kids, then you are setting an intention. The difference between an intention and a goal is that a goal is future oriented and focused on an outcome and an intention is all about the present moment and focused on a feeling, a state of being.
Intentions can be as simple as 1-2-3.
1) Set your intention upon waking up
2) Complete this sentence: Today I intend to ___________ (see the good in everyone, focus on the positive, take care of myself, etc.)
3) Remind yourself of your intention throughout the day
Your kids are definitely not too young to start beginning this beautiful practice, especially if you teach it in a fun and playful way. Here's how you can combine the power of the breath with the power of intention setting for children (and for You ,too!)
This is best done as a morning activity, but don't sweat it if you forget! Do it whenever you can remember it. Give your kids a sheet of paper and some crayons and have them trace their hands in super slow motion, taking a deep breath in when they trace up, and a deep breath out when they trace down. So every trace of a finger completes a full inhale and a full exhale. By doing simple, yet effective breathwork before the intention setting, we are giving them a chance to slow the breath and the heart rate, to calm the nervous system and to get clear and focused. After they finish tracing their hand, ask them to think of 5 things they would like to experience today, and each thing gets written on a finger. Allow them the freedom to choose and try not to discourage their answers, no matter how different they are from your expectations! (your kid might very well say they want to experience more tv or ice cream for breakfast) The key here is that we are introducing a powerful practice in a simple and non-forceful way, so don't worry if their intention isn't quite in line with what you are thinking. If your kids prefer to chose just one intention for the day, they can write it right in the center of the palm instead of on each finger.
After they fill out what they would like to experience, they can decorate their hand any way they wish, and then hang it somewhere they will see it throughout the day as a reminder of what they are attracting. You can have them do this daily or weekly, and to be a little more eco friendly, you could use a chalk board or wipe off board so it can be cleaned off and reused each day.
Take power of your days. Teach your children that they have the ability to do the same.
Enjoy and have fun! 😉
There is a way to take back that direction and purpose. That way is intention setting.
An intention is a word or a statement that describes how you want to show up in the world and what you would like to attract into your experience. It is a purpose. Setting your intention is the first step towards embodying how you want to feel.
If you wake up in the morning and think to yourself, today I will be full of patience, or this morning I'm going to find more peace with my kids, then you are setting an intention. The difference between an intention and a goal is that a goal is future oriented and focused on an outcome and an intention is all about the present moment and focused on a feeling, a state of being.
Intentions can be as simple as 1-2-3.
1) Set your intention upon waking up
2) Complete this sentence: Today I intend to ___________ (see the good in everyone, focus on the positive, take care of myself, etc.)
3) Remind yourself of your intention throughout the day
Your kids are definitely not too young to start beginning this beautiful practice, especially if you teach it in a fun and playful way. Here's how you can combine the power of the breath with the power of intention setting for children (and for You ,too!)
This is best done as a morning activity, but don't sweat it if you forget! Do it whenever you can remember it. Give your kids a sheet of paper and some crayons and have them trace their hands in super slow motion, taking a deep breath in when they trace up, and a deep breath out when they trace down. So every trace of a finger completes a full inhale and a full exhale. By doing simple, yet effective breathwork before the intention setting, we are giving them a chance to slow the breath and the heart rate, to calm the nervous system and to get clear and focused. After they finish tracing their hand, ask them to think of 5 things they would like to experience today, and each thing gets written on a finger. Allow them the freedom to choose and try not to discourage their answers, no matter how different they are from your expectations! (your kid might very well say they want to experience more tv or ice cream for breakfast) The key here is that we are introducing a powerful practice in a simple and non-forceful way, so don't worry if their intention isn't quite in line with what you are thinking. If your kids prefer to chose just one intention for the day, they can write it right in the center of the palm instead of on each finger.
After they fill out what they would like to experience, they can decorate their hand any way they wish, and then hang it somewhere they will see it throughout the day as a reminder of what they are attracting. You can have them do this daily or weekly, and to be a little more eco friendly, you could use a chalk board or wipe off board so it can be cleaned off and reused each day.
Take power of your days. Teach your children that they have the ability to do the same.
Enjoy and have fun! 😉
Kids love coloring! Check out my coloring affirmations activity here!
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