In easy pose at the beginning of yoga class, the teacher often directs students to set their intention. I struggled with this, not understanding what the yogi meant and why I needed to do it. "Set an intention" sounded too serious. I was there to stretch, breathe, challenge myself, and take a one-hour vacation from the daily grind. That's all I could come up with, so that's what I fixed in my mind during class. And you know what? That's exactly what I got out of it.
A synonym for "intention" is "wish", and both mean creating a goal and directing your focus and energy toward that. It could be a short-term goal for just an hour, such as in yoga class, to relax. It could be a longer-term intention, such as publishing a book. Either way, it's never a bad idea to sketch out a plan for your hour, day, week, month, year, or life. Baseball great Yogi Berra put it this way: "If you don't know where you're going, you'll end up someplace else."
Intentions, wishes, and goals are full of hopefulness. We could all use a little dose of that, right? I encourage you to make your wishes; set your intention or goals. It doesn't have to be daunting. Jot some things down.
Dare yourself to dream and hope. Here are mine:
May I greet people each morning with a loving smile.
May I seek the adventure in every day.
May I welcome challenges.
May I admit when I don't know something.
May I help those in need and ask for help when I need it.
May I go to bed on time.
May I say "help me understand" when I disagree with someone's position.
May I see my thoughts as thoughts, as mental phenomena, and not as Truth.
May I make time for writing and other creative pursuits
May I watch a sunrise, stare at the stars, and inhale fresh air as much as possible.
May I notice judgment, practice discernment, and cultivate wisdom.
May I regularly tell those whom I love that I love them.
May I work with passion.
May I be more attuned with humans I encounter each day and respond appropriately.
May I do more yoga and Shinrin-Roku.
May I help others feel safe and loved.
May I invest more time in being present with friends and family.
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