Why is it that most things said, sound easy, until you actually do them? Now the doing is the hard part. Am I right?! What's that saying... It's supposed to be hard. If it was easy, everyone would do it (Tom Hanks in A League of Their Own). Right! LOL! But is it possible that the more we do the hard stuff, the easier it becomes if we remain intentional in doing it? I happen to believe so based on my own experiences and what I know to be true by following through. However, first it begins by having a certain mindset that includes saying yes (to self) and being intentional in following through consistently.
Set a bold intention that brings you out of your comfort zone
If you've been following my monthly blogs over the last 2 months, then you know that each month I've been sharing one of six steps to owning your magic. As a reminder, here are the 6 Steps to Owning Your Magic:
Forgive yourself
Choose love and acceptance
Be intentional
Surround sound your life with how you want to feel
Be the author of your life
Claim your dream
Now we're in month 3 and step 3 is Be Intentional. What does it mean to be intentional? It means you have a clear purpose and are intentional about taking action on the thoughts and feelings that are most important to you. When you have an intentional focus, you choose to live and create a life that has a clear purpose and is meaningful and exciting to you. I believe this is one of the most important ones because being intentional requires, first, slowing down to really think about what you want, deciding it, and following through unwaveringly.
So, during my bi-annual Health Coaching conference earlier this year, we did an exercise covering all 6 of these steps and I really had to think about them including this one. Here are some questions for insight in thinking about it. Warning: I'm about to get spiritual on you.
Questions for Insight:
What is your deepest prayer?
What would you want to experience each day if you lived into your deepest prayer?
How can you open your heart just a little bit more?
My initial written down thoughts were Lord I pray that I live each day with a deep feeling of peace and joy no matter what is happening around me. I just want to smile and laugh every day and surrender to all that worries me and that takes me away from being closer to you because with you, and in you, I always have peace, joy and happiness and that makes me smile. I must slow down to stop, remember this every day, breathe through it all, and then move with intention (purpose). My heart is open, but I will keep expanding it to maintain my peace, joy and happiness.
(Breathing deeply) How did that feel for you? It felt real deep, good and intentional for me in this moment. The key is to continue to have intentional focus and follow through will happen for what you want. Here is an example. This morning, I got up and I intentionally did one thing that makes me feel at peace and that is ambient flow yoga. For 30 minutes I was intentional in moving my body slowly. It is one of my favorite forms of movement because it feels like a combination of meditation and slow movement with a great stretch. I find the best time to do this yoga is either first thing in the morning or after an intense workout but anytime also works just to slow down and be one with your body by having intentional focus! Trust me, it is a beautiful feeling and one that you will always want to have and WILL have. Just be intentional!
Want one more example? Okay! Okay! So, laughter is what I want to experience every day. What do I do? I intentionally make things funny in what I say and/or do with myself and others. It makes me feel joy to laugh and I hope that it makes the other person feel the same. It is intentional/deliberate. I even do it at work in meetings to lighten the mood for me and hopefully for others. It also helps to calm my nerves when the attention is on me, or when I intentionally place it on me. Laughter is good for good health, peace, joy and happiness. Who doesn't want to experience this every day, no matter what is going on around them? The best part is that this action of laughter is always in our control to help shift our emotions to serve our good, and even move us towards doing something new that we've never done before (bring us out of our comfort zone). Doing something that scares us, but we do it anyway. More on that kind of bringing us out of your comfort zone, another time! ;)
I hope that you take some time to think through these questions for insight and let your own answers come to you. Take your time. Sit with it as long as you need to. Iterate your responses as much as you want/need to and then move with an intentional focus!
If there is anything I've shared resonated with you or you have blog topic recommendations, then I welcome you to leave a comment below or reach out to me for a free consultation to get help in an area of your life or a change/transformation you want to begin this year! Click here to book an appointment Work With Me | Life Chapters Coaching
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