Best Intention

It’s not what you think….. well maybe it is…

read on….

I love walking my dog.  This morning was an incredibly beautiful day up in the hills where I live.  I’m very serious about exercise… well not very very serious, but heaven knows I try to do it every day.  If I’m being 100% honest, I mostly motivate myself with the promise of a big Diet Coke afterwards.  I have favorite Diet Coke places all over town . . . places that have just the right mix, the right ice, the right cups… (some of you know exactly what I’m talking about)  There is this place by the park where I walk… I always drive by . . . before I drive through.  If they have a line, I don’t go there … because the slow slow slow service drives me crazy!  If there is no line, I zip in.  

So today was a little different.  I ended up walking farther than usual and a little longer than usual.  I was so ready for a cold drink.  As I drove by my place, I noticed that the line was long, longer than I’d ever seen it.  But I was hot and I really wanted a cold drink so I took my place.  I decided that I wasn’t going to stress about how long it took.  I decided that it would be fine, that I would enjoy the time in line.  I set a little intention to relax and enjoy the next few minutes as I dialed in some music and settled in.  

I’m amazed at how intentions can change everything.  This is a very small and sort of silly example, but the value of setting intentions can impact our lives in a much bigger way.  It can be powerful to pause to think… what is important to me? How do I want (or intend) to show up in a certain conversation? How do I intend a meeting to go? How do I want to feel and think about all “the things” I do?  What would I want for myself today?   We can pause and remind ourselves of our true intentions several times during the day.  Pause, breathe and check in with ourselves, be more true to the intent of our hearts, our best selves.  Doing this will help us focus on what and how we want to be, how we want to show up. It calms us and allows a more authentic version of ourselves to show up, it invites peace into our bodies.

There is a lot of power in this small and simple act.  I hope you give it a try.  Start with something small, but don’t be afraid to go big!  (even bigger than a Diet Coke) :)

“Today is a wonderful day.  I’ve never seen this one before”  - Maya Angelou

May you have a wonderful day… one moment or intention at a time.