Category Archives: intention

The pleasure of doing a thing in the same way at the same time every day

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“The pleasure of doing a thing in the same way at the same time every day and savoring it should be noted.”

—Arnold Bennett, 20th Century English novelist

Image from Unsplash by Prophsee Journals

To what degree are you a creature of habit? What are the routines and rituals you repeat each day in the same way and time? How many of these behaviors support your health and well-being? How many would you describe as simple pleasures or bring you a sense of pride?

Consider when and why your first developed these habits.

How much discipline and intentionality did it take for you to become the person who acts in this manner?

EXERCISE:

After savoring this list, examine what new or different habits you’d like to incorporate into the melodies and harmonies of your days.

Feel free to reply to this post with what you discover.

“Fill each day with things to learn, launch, and love.”

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“Fill each day with things to learn, launch, and love.”

—Jay Shetty, English author, former Hindu monk, and life coach

Image from Unsplash by jeshoots.com

Recently I had a day with absolutely nothing on my calendar.

Instead of jumping into my default activities to pass the time, I looked to today’s quote to guide my efforts.

Rather than sharing my specific activities, I ask you to consider what you learn, launch, and love throughout your days.

Take a look at the correlation between these activities and having a sense of fulfillment when it’s time to rest.

EXERCISE:

How can and will you be more intentional to actually plan and schedule things to learn, launch, and love in the days ahead?

intentions have a shelf life

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“Intentions have a shelf life.”

Image from Unsplash by Maria Lin Kim

When was the last time you went shopping for groceries?

What are the factors that have you select a particular item and place it in your cart?

How often do you examine the expiration dates and perhaps look to the back of each shelf to select the items with the best dates to limit spoilage and waste?

Our intentions are not like Twinkies!  They don’t have an indefinite shelf life in which they stay forever soft and fresh.

Just examine the practice of making New Year’s resolutions and see how many fall by the wayside in weeks or a few months.

EXERCISE:

What are your most important intentions?

How can and will you act on them with urgency in the coming days so that they have the greatest chance of being realized?

 We aim to be generous, kind and compassionate

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We aim to be generous, kind and compassionate. Being human means that sometimes our intentions often miss the mark.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Norbert Braun

For the past several years, many people — including me — have been looking inward at our lives. Being knocked off balance by a variety of factors has made us more mindful and aware of our place in the world, and has caused us to pursue greater meaning and purpose.

It has been quite gratifying to see countless acts of compassion, generosity, and kindness in my communities and throughout the world. I’ve done better, but not always my best, at exercising these attributes.

In such cases, forgiveness and the resolve to keep trying are noteworthy ways to express our best human intentions.

EXERCISE:

Where have your generous, kind, and compassionate efforts missed the mark?

Where would forgiveness and giving things another go help you fulfill more of your best intentions?

We are more like a breathing puzzle, a living bag of pieces, and each day shows us

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“We are more like a breathing puzzle, a living bag of pieces, and each day shows us what a piece or two is for, where it might go, how it might fit.”

—Mark Nepo, Author of The Book of Awakening

Image from Unsplash by Ross Sneddon

I used to believe that puzzles were something you only did to pass the time on vacation or on a rainy day where there was seemingly nothing to do. These days puzzles are an almost daily activity with my grandson Weston. He keeps graduating to increasingly more challenging images with more and more pieces. Matching colors, finding the straight edges, and of course securing those all-important corners are all part of his increased mastery.

Take the metaphoric leap to view your own life as an 80,000-piece effort. How can you be more focused and intentional about flipping, sorting, and placing your living, breathing pieces to build your own less puzzling masterpiece?

EXERCISE:

What parts of your personal and professional puzzles are you piecing together? Who are the people sitting around the tables of your life that can help and support your efforts?

What gifts in your life do you often take for granted?

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What gifts in your life do you often take for granted?

—Calm App Reflection

Every moment of life is a precious gift.

Open each of these gifts slowly and mindfully so as not to miss a single one — this will help you live more fully and purposely, regardless of what you may accomplish. Don’t be surprised, however, if you accomplish a lot living this way!

EXERCISE:

What tangible and intangible gifts do your intend to offer the people in your various communities? How can putting greater thought and heartfelt intentions into your offerings? Please remember that your time might be your most special gift of all.

You may wish to explore the book, 4000 Weeks – Time Management for Mortals.

Friday Review: Intention

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FRIDAY REVIEW: INTENTION

What intentions have you set for your day, your week, or your life? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

 

“Sit. Or stand. But never wobble.”

 

 

“Intent reveals desire. Action reveals commitment.”

 

 

 

“Setting your intentions is like drawing an arrow from the quiver of your heart.”

 

 

 

“Sit. Or stand. But never wobble.”

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“Sit. Or stand. But never wobble.”

—Zen saying

Image from Unsplash by Nasim Dadfar

Over the past year my little SUV has spent most of its time sitting in my driveway. I drove so few miles that I recently swapped out my snow tires from the winter 2020, when the pandemic began.

As of early April, with two vaccines in my arm, I have stood up and ventured out with a new set of tires and a few fluid changes.

It feels good to stand and step forward with greater hope and intentions for the future. What indicators are you seeing where others are also standing with positivity and purpose?

EXERCISE:

Where is your world — or the world — still a bit wobbly? Where is it time to sit, rest, and regroup, or stand up and step forward to help it regain its footing?

“Anything we are doing, we can do better.”

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“Anything we are doing, we can do better.”

—Google’s Operating Assumption

mage from Unsplash by Markus Winkler

Each year for the past decade I have reviewed the book, Your Best Year Yet by Jinny Ditzler. One of its many exercises is to list all the roles you currently play in your personal and professional communities. The exercise then challenges you to determine your intentions for each role in the year ahead.

Taking time to examine our efforts and progress in the previous year shines a spotlight on our capacity, willingness, and promise to do and be better.

EXERCISE:

Given this year is well underway, how can and will you “spring” forward with greater intention, focus, and effort to improve in at least one area of your choosing?

“Think of your life as a story not yet written.”

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“Think of your life as a story not yet written.”

—Mark Nepo, The Book of Awakening

Image from Unsplash by Tim Arterbury

How would you describe yourself? What is your personality, your temperament? What are your signature strengths?

What does your recent DISC or Meyers Briggs assessment say about you? How cemented are the stories you have about yourself?

What if you closed all the chapters of the book of your life and started fresh?

What if you took out a new journal or blank book and began writing the story of your life going forward?

Imagine the opportunities and possibilities of your life and how you will make them real throughout 2021.

EXERCISE:

Consider the idea of writing your story about tomorrow— and then living it. As you make this practice a habit, you can advance your efforts to weeks, months, and years.

What stories might you tell with your intentions and actions to live this way from this point forward?