Maybe you’ve heard it all over the place:
“You’ve gotta set intentions!”
“Did you set an intention about it?”
“I did a new moon intention setting ritual.”
It sounds interesting – but what actually is intention setting? And how does one even do it?
Have no fear, this blog is meant for you!
First, let’s get started by answering the question “What is an intention?”
An intention is an energetic directive that you put out into the universe (this is the thing that you think is bigger than you – whether you call that the universe or source or God or your higher power, etc.). It is that thing that exists beyond your own self and for the purpose of this blog post I’m going to refer to it as the universe from here forward.
The universe is here to help you and assist you on your life journey so you don’t have to do it all alone (even though it sometimes feels that way). However, the universe doesn’t typically walk around just handing out freebies that no one asks for. It usually waits for you to put in your request and then it gets to work helping you fulfill that request. (Whether your requests are conscious or subconscious). An intention is your request to the universe for what it is you want. It is you asking the universe to help you out in creating something, achieving something, or letting go of something.
Basically, setting an intention is like calling up the universe and saying “Hey, can you help me achieve this?”
Intention setting isn’t actually all that difficult and there are four main steps to take when setting an intention:
1. Get Quiet:
Find yourself a space without distractions (like the television, music, screaming children, noisy neighbors, etc.) and close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Ask yourself from this space – “What is it that I want next?”
This can be big or little but no matter what it is you want to have power and emotion behind it. You want to really feel deeply that this is what you want next.
2. Write it Down:
Write it down twice! Write it once in a journal or notebook for safe keeping somewhere and then write it again on a piece of paper that you’ll either tuck under your pillow when you sleep at night or you’ll place in your purse or a jacket pocket if you’re always on the go. Basically, you want to have this intention and its energy around you as much as possible.
3. Remind Yourself Daily:
You want to remind yourself daily of your intention, which can look like:
a. Reading it every morning when you wake up.
b. Reading it every night before you go to bed
c. Reading it throughout the day
d. Setting alarms about it on your cell phone to go off several times a day
e. Putting post-it notes around the house or in places you frequent (purse, books you’re currently reading, kitchen cabinets, etc.).
You want to stay in the energy of this intention as much as possible in order for you to help the universe fulfill it. What you don’t want to do is write it down once, put your notebook on a bookshelf and forget about it for the next three years. That is not how you’ll achieve your intention!
4. Be Prepared for Obstacles:
Once you set your intention with the universe, it will get to work helping you achieve it. If it is something you are already vibrationally aligned with, you’ll receive it very easily (maybe even the next day)! However, if you are not vibrationally aligned with it (more likely the case) the universe is going to start showing you all of the things you need to let go of in order for you to achieve it.
This part is not so fun, but it is a necessary step in achieving your intentions. Because, if you were already vibrationally aligned with it, you would already have it and wouldn’t be asking for it, so more often than not the next step is for the universe to show you all the areas where you’ll need to shift yourself so that what you want can be your reality.
Often times when this part occurs, people think: “Oh, since this happened the day after I set my intention (insert uncomfortable experience) it must be a sign from the universe that I’m not supposed to have it.” However, actually what happened was a sign from the universe about what you have going on internally that is blocking you from achieving it. That’s a big difference.
Let’s dive into this one a little more. When you set a strong, powerful intention for what you want next the universe responds to you in one of two ways:
1. It hands you your intention (easy peasy).
2. It shows you what you need to let go of, change, evolve, or accept to receive it (not fun, but worth it).
When the first one happens, kindly say a “thank you” to the universe and bask in your glory. When the second one happens, you’re going to have to get to work. And by get to work, I mean get honest with yourself about what is going on internally for you that is keeping you from achieving your intention. This part might not be very enjoyable, but it is a necessary step to achieve what it is you want next in your life.
This could look like:
Letting go of a false belief
Finding a subconscious block
Letting go of your story
Changing your patterns of behavior
Taking new actions
Integrating your shadow self
What it absolutely entails is taking a new action of some sort in order to shift yourself to get into the vibrational space that aligns with the intention you are desiring. Action moves the needle; inaction keeps you stagnant leads to apathy. It’s not enough to want and to know, you must also do.
Finally, when it comes to setting intentions, please know that you can do this at any time. I personally love to set my intentions during a new moon because the energy of the cosmos is most powerful for setting intentions at this time, (and it makes it easy to remember to do so) but if you set an intention with emotion and power behind it, the universe doesn’t really care what moon phase is happening at this moment. Your energy is way more powerful than that (seriously) and you can co-create with the universe whenever your heart desires to do so, moon on board with you or not.
What is super cool about having the moon guide you along is that you are in a neat energy flow in this space and it keeps you always moving forward. There are twelve new moons a year, so that’s twelve times you’ll be setting intentions and working on them. Another option people tend to gravitate towards is setting intentions on the first of a month, so if that appeals to you, by all means do it.
At the end of the day, all that really matters is that the method you choose works for you. The more conscious you are and the more you attend to your life and your desires, the greater enjoyment and fulfillment you experience. This life is yours to live, how you want to live it, and nothing is beyond your reach unless you believe it is.
So set your intentions, aim high, reach for the stars, and create the life of your dreams.
Everything you desire is within your reach. You just have to believe it is!
Happy Intention Setting!
If you enjoyed this blog, check out the accompanying YouTube video on the same topic.
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Hi, I’m Erica
As a Yoga Instructor, Reiki Master, and Intuitive, I’ve come to experience the world in a very different way. I am a lover of all things energy! I believe, more than anything, that energy affects everything. I’m here to help you shift your energy and change your life!