Intention: The Mantra of 2024
Do you ever find yourself wondering where the days, months, and years have vanished? My dad always used to say, "It's YOUR days, months, and years that go by every time." Those words didn’t quite hit home back then, but your late 20s do things to you, peeps! My dad’s words have taken on a whole new meaning in recent years.
We all know how it goes- days blend into each other, weeks fly by, and before we know it, another year has slipped through our fingers. It’s a universal truth that time waits for no one. And that’s why, my friends, the power of “intention” in life is so huge!
Whether it’s personal development, building deep and meaningful connections, keeping in touch with family and friends, or just going through life, having clear intentions can make a huge difference. To me, having intentions behind our actions means giving conscious attention and effort to whatever we do. Without it, we are just wandering.
As we're fairly at the beginning of 2024, many of us have set our goals or resolutions for the year. But here’s the thing—goals alone aren’t enough. Having clear intentions ensures that every action you take aligns with the broader vision you are envisioning for your life. Let’s take this simple day-to-day example. I can guarantee that most of us always have something related to healthy living and healthy eating on our goals list every year. Want to be a healthy person? You will need the intention to adjust your lifestyle, make time for exercise, choose healthier options over unhealthy ones, cook healthier meals at home, decrease the frequency of eating out, go for regular runs and walks, and so on. Without putting deliberate efforts into these things just listing your goal of being healthy brings no result.
The same goes for your relationship. When you start living together with your partner, it can soon start getting boring. If you are not intentional about putting conscious energy into your relationship, it’s easy to drift apart. You gotta be intentional about making your relationship work. That means making a conscious effort to observe the likes and dislikes of your partner, appreciating each other’s quirks, doing something nice for one another every once in a while, going on dates, traveling together, and so on.
To keep our dating game strong, my husband and I have a jar at home filled with pieces of paper, each containing a different place written on it. Every weekend, as weather permits, we simply pick a paper from the jar and head to that chosen place. This small intentional effort has worked wonders for us. It provides us with dedicated time each weekend to enjoy quality moments together. Unless something significant comes up, this has become our non-negotiable activity as a couple. And we both absolutely love it!
Furthermore, if you want to start a new business setting goals for your business is a fantastic start, but true success comes from infusing those goals with intentions. It’s not just about personal achievement, it’s about the impact your business has on others. That means you start making strategic decisions, building meaningful connections, going to networking events, or being mindful of how your business affects the lives of those it touches. These intentions are guides to steer your business on the right path.
Life goes on, sure, but with a bit of conscious energy, you will notice a positive difference!
So, this blog post is not me preaching to anyone, but it’s a commitment to being more intentional in my own life. This is to remind me of consciously putting my energy into all the goals I have set for 2024. Whether it’s strengthening my relationship with my loved ones, building new friendships, nurturing old friendships, or anything else, I want to be more deliberate about how I am approaching these goals. Let’s see where my intentions take me and how it all pans out. But for now, I just know that “Intention” will be my main mantra for the year.
In the meantime, if you are in the same boat and are embarking on your journey of intention, I’d love to hear from you. What are your intentions for this year, and how do you plan to infuse them into your daily life? Please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. Let’s create a space for inspiration and motivation as we navigate the path of intention together. Cheers to intentional living and thanks for swinging by!
See you in the next blog post! 😊