Shift Your Day Towards Positivity & Mindfulness
YMCA OF GREATER WAUKESHA COUNTY

SET AN INTENTION FOR THE DAY

Sunday, May 15, 2022

By: Coach Jenn, as part of the Stronger Together Challenge

How often do you begin your day without checking in with yourself? Maybe you roll out of bed and get ready for work right away, or head to the Y for a quick workout. If you don't check in with yourself regularly, you may feel stuck in a rut, not reaching your goals, and unable to live in a way that reflects your full potential.

Pause before your day begins and set a daily intention. Starting with a daily intention is a powerful technique to help with mindfulness on what you want to get out of the day.

Setting intentions is different than setting goals. Goals are more future-focused and represent a specific achievement or destination you wish to reach. Intention setting focuses on "who you are in the moment, to recognize and live your values, raise your emotional energy, which in turn raises your physical energy." (Tabaka) Intentions can guide and support you in reaching your goals.

What Should Your Daily Intention Be?

Daily intentions can be anything you want them to be; reflect on your goals, dreams, and aspirations. Here are also some helpful questions to get you started:

• What are 2-3 things you want to accomplish in your lifetime?
• What type of energy do you want to bring to the day?
• What current healthy life change are you pursuing?

If you're looking for inspiration, here are some examples:

• I will practice gratitude to maintain a positive outlook on life.
• I will process my emotions before reacting to them.
• I will set boundaries where I need to set them.

Tips on How to Set Daily Intentions

1. Set your intention as early in the day as you can. 
2. Bring awareness to your breath, and breathe consciously and mindfully. 
3. Ask yourself how you want to feel today, what role you want to succeed in, how you want to affect others, or what core value or quality you want to honor. Your intention should have a positive tone and be a phrase that motivates and uplifts you.
4. Write down your intention in a few words. 
5. Revisit your intention throughout the day. Whenever you’re tasked with making a decision, consider how your choices align with your intention. Your intention should stay at the top of your mind so you can go back to it when you’re feeling busy, stressed, frustrated, or down. 

6. Think about how you lived your daily intention and how it affected your day at the end of the day. 

Don't worry, this process of setting daily intentions gets easier over time. Try to remember to repeat it again each morning and soon it can become part of your regular routine.

Resources: 

1. Tabaka, M. (n.d.). Setting Goals Isn't Enough: Setting Daily Intentions Will Change Your Life. Inc.com. Retrieved April 1, 2022, from https://www.inc.com/marla-tabaka/setting-goals-isnt-enough-setting-daily-intentions-will-change-your-life.html
2. Wholesome Culture. (2020). How to Set Daily Intentions That Improve Your Overall Wellbeing (and Productivity!). Wholesome Culture. Retrieved April 1, 2022, from https://blog.wholesomeculture.com/no-cost-self-care-ideas/