Imagine being able to transform your mental state and wellness just by changing your thought patterns. Consider what it would be like if you could change your mood, drop your judgements and live life the way you want to simply by thinking positively and setting intentions for yourself. Stop dreaming, because it’s possible for anyone to make this change and improve their mental health—and life overall—by having a plan, setting your aims and reaching your goals.
An intention is a reason why you want to do something, as well as a method for how you will get there. In a way, it’s going one step further than setting a goal. For example, instead of setting the resolution of “I want to get all A’s on my report card,” set an intention to improve your marks by spending more time studying each night. By coming up with the steps you need to take to get there, you’ll have a better shot at reaching your goals.
An intention can be set for anything, whether you want to improve relationships, your job, your grades or just start to be more positive in your life. Setting intentions is about giving direction and meaning to our lives.
There are many different intentions you can set, some of which may include:
- Bringing more fun into your life
- Thinking more positively
- Surrounding yourself with good friends
- Listening to those who are talking to you
- Spending quality time with your family
- Asking for help from your teachers
- Refraining from judging others
- Being supportive of your friends and family
Source: Takashi Hososhima
When setting intentions, make sure they’re important to you and not just copied from someone else. The purpose of an intention is to set yourself up for the life you want to live, not the life your parents or others want you have. It might be a while before you figure out what you want your intentions to be, so take some time to reflect and figure out what you truly want to change in your life. If you’re struggling, meditation is an excellent way to get in touch with your inner self and access your intuition.
Don’t be afraid to set more than one intention at a time, but be careful not to overwhelm yourself. Neither should you feel trapped by your intentions—you can change or modify them as needed. As you progress, you may find that some adjustments need to be made, so feel free to do so. There aren’t any rules around intention setting, so long as you are getting what you need out of the practice.
The ultimate purpose of setting intentions is to put yourself in a better head space, to think more positively and to reach your goals by changing the way you interact with your family, your community and the environment. Intentions change our mental state by showing us that we have the ability to transform our lives and that being a more positive person is very rewarding. Take your first step today towards better mental health and empower yourself to seize control of your future.
Feature Image: lzf / Shutterstock
