Have you ever been to a yoga or Pilates class, and they tell you to set an intention before the class begins? Or, has someone told you how powerful it is to set an intention to start your day? What do you think?

The first thing I would do is panic! An intention? What’s an intention, and how am I supposed to come up with one that quickly?

I’m pretty comfortable with the Law of Attraction and manifesting, but I don’t think I really grasped what an intention was. When I am trying to manifest something, I start with a goal, write my affirmations about achieving that goal and take the steps necessary to get there. I thought goals and intentions were the same things. So, before a yoga class, I would think, “I want to stop seeing my arms jiggle,” or something like that. Not exactly peaceful or mindful. Or I would say the word “Peace” or “Love,” but it was very vague.

I did a little research and found out that goals and intentions are not the same things.

Goals are set to work towards something in the future. You make plans and steps to reach those goals. Goals take you out of the present moment and focus on what you don’t have.

Intentions are your aim or purpose for doing what you are doing right now. They keep you in the moment. Webster’s dictionary says intentions are “a determination to act in a certain way.” They can remind you how you want to live out each day. They are more about how you feel about doing something.

The difference between setting a goal versus setting an intention is that a goal is about achieving a specific outcome. In contrast, the intention is about setting a specific mindset or feeling. An intention is purposefully deciding how you want something to feel. It’s setting the mood and the vibe for your brain. (Taken from “How to Set an Intention” by In It For the Long Run)

For example:

I aim to keep my body healthy and exercise 5 times a week. One of the ways I do that is by attending a Pilates class. At my Pilates class this morning, I set an intention. It wasn’t to lose weight or be healthy because that is a goal. The intention I used today was “to feel every movement.” That intention keeps me focused on the movements I am making and keeps my mind wandering outside of class. As I focus on my Pilates class and feel every movement, my body will start to change, and as a result, I will keep my body healthy!

A couple of other examples –

Goal – Lose 10 pounds by next month

Intention – Be kind to my body and treat it with love

Goal – Make $100,000 in sales this year

Intention – Create a productive work environment today or Be aware of how I can be charitable

Goal – Find the love of my life and get married before I’m 30.

Intention – Make space in my life for a partner

Intentions are the road map that leads you to your goals. If you find yourself going in the wrong direction, check your intentions, and change them to get back on the right path.

Make sure your intentions are –

• short and to the point
• positive
• what really matters to you
• projecting how you want to feel in the moment, and once your goal is achieved
• bringing your heart and mind into alignment
• not super specific so that they don’t leave room for more possibilities and outcomes

Now that we know what an intention is let’s be prepared for the next time we have to come up with one.

Write a list of words that align with how you want to feel. Here are some examples.

Intention words

• Love
• Peace
• Light
• Focused
• Open
• Calm
• Strong
• Balanced
• Aware
• Receptive
• Happy
• Breathe
• Experience
• Create
• Heal
• Live
• Flow
• Beautiful

I could go on and on.

Pick a couple of words every day or week and use those to create your intentions.

I Intend to…

• Be focused on my breath
• Open my mind to all possibilities
• Love my body
• Be aware of my beautiful surroundings
• Find love in everyone
• Be true to my voice
• Release my creativity in my writing
• Be open to success and abundance
• Move my body with ease
• Make someone smile
• Freely forgive others and myself

Intentions are very personal and are meant to be tweaked and changed. It depends on what matters to you at the time. As long as you are positive and truly believe in what you are saying, it is perfect.

“Awakened doing is when you don’t create suffering anymore for others – or for yourself – by your own actions. It also implies that your primary intention, the focus of your attention, is on the doing in the present moment, rather than in the result that you want to achieve through it.”  Eckhart Tolle

What to do once you set your intention

Once you have set your intentions, now what?

• If you are at the beginning of a yoga or Pilates class, you should focus on your intention as you breathe. If your mind is not with you as you are exercising, you will not experience the full benefits.
• Write them down in your daily journal. There is power in the physical act of writing them down.
• Set an intention for how you want to feel each day. “Today, I intend to enjoy my time with my children” or “Today, I intend to focus on treating my body well.”
• Wear your “intention” on your wrist for a constant reminder. Either with a tattoo or bracelet.
• Say them out loud before you meditate.
• Use them to achieve your goals. How do you want to feel once your goal is achieved? Secure, safe, loved, etc. Set intentions to feel those feelings now.
• Be present and aware of everything you do. Intend to live your life in a way that makes you happy.
• Trust that God and the universe are working with you. Don’t think you have to figure out everything yourself; let that go. Just believe, take baby steps and see where it leads you.

Related Posts: Manifest Miracles and How to Use the Law of Attraction Every Day

Since I have been researching and writing this article, I have been using intentions throughout my day. When I wake up, I think about how I want to feel today. As I drive to events, I remind myself to have fun or be open to possibilities. When I go for a walk, I enjoy my moments of fresh air and peace. As I sit down to write, I focus on creativity and letting the words flow.

My Pilates classes feel so much more beneficial when I use an intention.

Setting intentions can be a game-changer for your life. What will your next intention be?

“When you have clarity of intention, the universe conspires with you to make it happen.” – Fabienne Fredrickson