Beyond Intention Setting

When I learned about intention setting over 20 years ago, I thought they were something simple to say or think because they seemed so obvious, but as I have turned to them in times of need, intentions are one of the most powerful tools we can turn to in a crisis.

I’ve written about intention setting before, but as a recap, intentions are something that everybody does subconsciously. For example, waking up in the morning and thinking, “Today is going to be another shitty day.” We are actually setting the intention to have another shitty day. Why not set positive intentions? In doing so you guide your life forward to where you want to go.

Do you really want to have a shitty day? Even if you have had a string of bad days, there is always the possibility of having a good one. Here is where intentions step in.

“My intention is to have a great day!” Why not? Wouldn’t it be amazing to actually experience something good?

Many will set negative intentions without even knowing it. “My intention is to not be depressed.” Since the subconscious mind won’t hear the word “not”, it hears, “My intention is to be depressed.” Therefore, state your intentions in the positive. “My intention is to be positive.”

Though, is that really your intention?

In moving beyond the intention and making it more of a possibility, that takes effort. Do you want to be positive or are you trying to fool yourself? Granted, being positive is a good step, the likelihood of positive showing up in your life may be like smoke you are trying to grab. After a while, you realize how pointless that really is.

In moving beyond the intention and more into the action, stating the intention is the first step, but the second, third, and following steps are you moving in that direction by practicing positive, happy, good, or whatever else you intend to create. Speaking it is one thing, stepping it is another.

 

 

This was the theme of last week’s group. It is one thing to set an intention, it is another to make it happen. When we set an intention, it is like placing our focus on a point down the road that we want to experience. Then all we need to do is take the action steps toward it.

“My intention is to be sober.” What action steps now do you choose to take?

Scientifically speaking, our brain will hardwire automatic responses and thoughts. Something happens and already the brain is saying this is bad, you can’t do it, so just give up. To change that wiring, intention setting throughout the day will keep you on the new path.

I used to be the clinical director of a residential program where for a month or two, people would learn the tools to help them grow. At the facility, they would get very good at practicing them, but once they left the program, got home, and went back to their regular life, many would automatically go into the liquor store and buy booze. At the facility, they were removed from that element, being all caged up. Now free, they fell back into their hard-wired responses. This is why I have shifted to strictly outpatient care because we can help people adjust to their normal environment and practice different responses or different intentions.

Honesty

I had a real problem with being honest. When I was first studying psychology, we students would go out to lunch together and tell tales of our past. My being an ex-baseball player, I had some real doozies and all of them were lies. I had set an intention that morning to be honest, and in mid-story, I realized I was telling a lie. “Wait, that’s a lie.” I told everyone. They all looked at me in shock. “My intention is to be honest,” I replied, and they all nodded their heads and were good with it. Two minutes later, I was telling another lie. “Shit, that’s another lie,” I confessed. This went on throughout our lunch, much to the enjoyment of my cohorts.

To be honest (no pun intended), old habits can die hard. That is why intention setting is so important and treatment, to be honest. How I overcame my lying was on the hour I stated the intentions to keep them fresh in my mind. It took me about a week before the lying ceased.

What are your intentions that you would like to create for yourself? State them in the positive and start off using this format: “My intention is _____”

Then keep them in mind throughout the day.

If you haven’t bought into making the change, ask yourself why. Many people want to be depressed because they are used to it and it has become their identity. It is a leap of faith to change because of the unknown. “If things went well in my life, only in a matter of time it will be shitty again.” I’ve heard that statement a lot. This basically means that you are still identifying with the negative and it is your comfort zone. To move beyond the intention, visualize you getting your dream and hold onto the dream. Don’t you deserve it? Walk around in your visualization and see yourself succeeding, being happy, and enjoying life. That is my intention for myself, how about you?

Compassionate Care is Always Available

There are many more tools and strategies you can use in your pursuit of happiness. Here is where we come in. Contact us at Basic Steps Mental Health and let us support and educate you on this journey back to your loving heart center. Imagine living a heart-centered life, regardless of what is happening externally. We’d love to be of help.

For 25 years, Dr. Scott Alpert, the clinical director of Basic Steps Mental Health, has treated over 7,000 people with mental health and addiction problems, using a Psychological approach that mixes and matches ten of the top approaches used in the industry. We are here virtually and in-person to help you get through this COVID-19 pandemic and many other difficulties you may be experiencing.

May you have good mental health.