Nanny to Mommy

The habit of setting intentions has a long history in all sorts of new age practices, from meditation and yoga to green witchcraft and nature-based spiritualities.

But more recently, people have come to realize that setting intentions is a healthy, positive way to clear the mind and attract success and satisfaction in virtually every aspect of life.

When we set an intention, we are focused on a specific goal or outcome that we wish to achieve. This could be anything from wanting to get healthy and fit, to seeking out our dream job or relationship. Whatever it is that you desire, setting an intention is a powerful way to help manifest your desires into reality.

Many people set intentions as part of a larger practice that involves meditation, yoga, prayer, or spiritual ritual. But you don't have to do all that to set intentions.

This brief overview provides a step-by-step guide for basic intention setting and a few examples of intentions as well.

To set an intention, you must first take a few moments to focus intensely on what it is that you desire. Speak that desire aloud. This will set the tone and preface your intention.

Then, find a spot in your home or a location that brings you comfort and security, and take awareness of your body. Engage for a moment in the physical and spiritual presence of yourself. Feel your fingers and toes, your core, your heart, and finally, your face. This helps tether you to reality and tap into the energy of the world around you.

Keep in mind that you don't need to find a perfectly silent spot. You don't need a yoga mat. You don't need to fold yourself into a pretzel and close your eyes. Do whatever feels comfortable to you, wherever it feels comfortable! The bathroom mirror. The kitchen counter with your cup of coffee. Waiting for the bus. Any moment of solitude will do.

Visualize your goal as if it has already been achieved. Feel the emotions that you would feel if you had already attained your goal. And then, with a positive tone, state your intention out loud or in your mind. For example, “I intend to find my perfect soulmate” or “I intend to get healthy and fit.”

The key to setting intentions is to be clear about what you want, and to feel confident and deserving of achieving your goal. When you set an intention with these qualities in mind, you are opening yourself up to limitless possibilities and paving the way for miracles to occur.

Intentions can be as simple or complex as you like, and they can address everything from mundane concerns, to major life goals.

To start, it's helpful to keep a few ideas handy to build off of--here are a few favorites.

While this is by no means a comprehensive list, the following daily intentions will help you exist more happily in the present moment and can guide you through daily life.

Write them on scraps of paper or a sticky note. Type them into the drafts on your phone. Eventually, you may even memorize them!

- "I am tapped into the vital energy of life. All energy that I invest returns to me and I am reinvigorated."

- "My heart is hungry and curious and open to love in all its forms. Every soul is an opportunity for human connection, and I am a beacon of warmth."

- "I set my boundaries and see them respected. No one is allowed to steal my spirit."

- "I am human. I deserve rest, I deserve nourishment, I deserve affection. I am strongest when I ensure my needs are met."

Start setting intentions today and see what wonders unfold in your life!