Tag Archives: intention

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?

 

“You are under no obligation to remain the same person you were a year ago, a month ago, or even a day ago. You are here to create yourself, continuously.”

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“You are under no obligation to remain the same person you were a year ago, a month ago, or even a day ago. You are here to create yourself, continuously.”

—Richard Feynman, 20th Century American theoretical physicist

Image from Unsplash by Inês Ferreira

Richard Feynman was considered one of the most influential physicists of our time. If a team of mankind’s most brilliant thinkers were put together to invent time travel, he would surely have been one of the leaders.

Many of us find ourselves looking back to pre-COVID times, wishfully hoping to gain back what was lost. In today’s quote, Feynman challenges each of us to play the cards we are dealt, and perhaps more importantly, take it upon ourselves to evolve and grow, to create ourselves and our world moment-by-moment.

EXERCISE:

How and in what ways can you be more intentional in your personal growth efforts?

Where could you be a year from now if you “kicked up” your self-creation efforts, beginning today?

Feel free to reply to this post regarding the promises you make to yourself and others.

“Setting your intentions is like drawing an arrow…”

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

—Bruce Black, American writer, teacher, and poetry judge

Image from Unsplash by Bianca Berg

The modern expression, “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions” is a proverb first published in the mid 1800s in Henry G. Bohn’s Handbook of Proverbs. An alternative form is, “Hell is full of good meanings, but Heaven is full of good works.”

In 2004, Dr. Wayne Dyer published The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-Create Your World Your Way, which is one of my personal favorites.

EXERCISE:

What are your intentions for 2020?

How many heart-based efforts do you intend to realize, personally and professionally?

How may arrows will you let fly?

“If you can’t be a pencil to write anyone’s happiness, then try to be a nice eraser to remove their sadness.”

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“If you can’t be a pencil to write anyone’s happiness, then try to be a nice eraser to remove their sadness.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Copper and Wild

When was the last time you tried to cheer someone up? When was the last time your friends and family tried to pencil a bit of happiness into your world?

Although well intentioned, many of these efforts don’t do the trick and can sometimes backfire, leaving others feeling worse. In such cases, perhaps a “less is more” approach can act as an eraser to lighten the burden.

EXERCISE:

Where and with whom could your simple presence, care, and a loving shoulder to lean on be the way to support those experiencing sadness or loss?

“Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life.”

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“Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life.”

—Mark Twain, pen name of Samuel Clemens

Image from Unsplash by Fikri Rasyid

Consider your life as a roll of bathroom tissue.

When you are born you have 1,000 sheets to use. As the days, weeks, months and years pass, you begin to notice the roll is spinning faster. Perhaps you are now closer to the end of the roll than the beginning.

Consider the idea that rather than fretting that some or even many of those sheets have been wasted or lost, you still have the opportunity to make each moment of every day something to joyfully enjoy and celebrate.

EXERCISE:

How can and will you be far more intentional about making the most of each precious and beautiful day ahead?