Setting Intentions and Mental Perceptions

Have you tried to establish some spiritual habits in your life, such as meditation or journaling, and didn’t quite succeed in reaching your goals? Do you feel discouraged and have given up trying?

We often have good intentions but fail to see them through.

There is a part of ourselves that often makes it difficult to change our ways. It’s a survival program that is set to avoid risk and failure. Even when we know the changes we are trying to make will be for the better, that part of us perceives failing as something more destructive than the unhealthy pattern (which most often has been developed as a coping or survival mechanism).

Changing your negative self-talk

When attempting to change something or reach for something that is out of your comfort zone, you might run into obstacles. You will also have a period of adjustment and of trials and errors. These are normal and to be expected. You can’t grow a muscle by exercising with the same small weight.

The most important thing though is to not let your mind, bring up the old story that you just can’t do it… We all have this little annoying voice that reminds us of our limitations when we try to do things differently. It’s normal, you are not alone!

If you let that scared voice win over you, you will just reinforce its power and it will win the battle. Changing a habit is half mental and half action. Nobody ever gets rid of that little voice entirely. It’s something you need to live with and RECOGNIZE. And after much much practice it becomes barely audible. If you can stop the negative talk dead in it’s track, you will have better success in establishing your spiritual growth habits.

Changing the perception of failure

As you try something new, you expend, you grow, you break free. Yes, there might be times when you fail the ultimate goal you had set, but you haven’t failed. You might not see the result you had wished for, but you might be blind to the growth you have gained while you tried.

So maybe, the problem is not in how or what type of goals you set. Maybe it’s in changing your perception of success. Maybe it’s in being flexible with the result you wish to achieve. Maybe it’s in not giving up so early or quickly. Maybe it’s in chewing smaller bites.

If you saw every attempt like a success, like a step further along the way, then you will feel like everything you do along the way is important. The most important step then becomes the commitment you take every day to achieve your goals.

Changing the perception of time

If you view setting intentions and working toward a goal is too difficult or a waste of time, think again. It is never too late to start in a new direction because the skills you will gain will help you in multiple ways.

Sometimes we feel these healthy habits are more time-consuming. However, when you understand the exponential return, such as the energy, clarity and ease you gain, it’s is well worth the time and effort put in.

If you set spiritual growth goals, these ideals and healthy habits will enhance all aspects of your life. As your body-mind-spirit becomes more harmonious, what you will attract in your life will also be more harmonious.

Do what works for YOU

What if you changed the way you set your intentions so it’s easier to take action and keep your commitment to yourself? Have an honest review of your life and challenge yourself to something that works for YOU. Something that isn’t bound by research or by what everybody else is doing. Just do something that expands your comfort zone without stretching it so much that it becomes undoable.

It’s easy to be too hard on yourself and not realize it. Figuratively speaking, do you ask yourself to run a marathon even though you never jogged before? Running a marathon is doable, but probably more to someone who already jogs a few times a week. How can you set up your life so running once or twice a week to start is doable? How can you continually attain little goals so you can set bigger goals and feel empowered and not discouraged?

For a long time, I was beating myself up for not being a morning person. In my mind, and from a lot of books I’ve read, successful people get up really early. I have tried time and again but kept giving up. I just couldn’t get up at 5am…

It took me a while to look at my life and realize that my most productive work happens late morning and afternoon. I just can’t get up at 5am. And beating myself up for it, wasn’t going to make it happen. So one day, I decided that this idea was great for some people but it just wasn’t working for me. I decided to review when I had the most energy during the day and what kind of routine was working best for me. I then identified where were my strengths and how I could set up my life in order to achieve success in a way that works for me.

Sometimes it’s not about the goal but about setting the best environment so you can start those healthy habits and spiritual goals. You have to do what works for you!