7 Tips for Setting Monthly Intentions and Manifesting Your Goals This Year
Photo by @omandthecity
Setting intentions is a trendy activity that began populating our social feeds in 2018. Wellness influencers share their intentions like clockwork, and the practice of intention-setting has blossomed. Maybe you think, “ugh popular blogger and influencers do it, and now everyone is doing it, so I resist”—it’s ok, we all have those thoughts sometimes!
But there’s a reason “everybody’s doing it”—it’s life changing.
Setting monthly intentions, and writing them down, help bring your goals to life. By manifesting your intentions and practicing them daily, you will ultimately hit whatever goals you have for yourself. For example, if your goal is to become a happier person and reduce anger, one of your intentions could be to write down what you’re thankful for every day. If your goal is to lose 10 pounds, one of your intentions could be to cook healthier meals at home this month. Through the daily practice of being purposeful with your actions—ahem, your intentions—you will have no choice but to manifest your goals into reality.
Here’s the official definition of intention:
in·ten·tion
/inˈten(t)SH(ə)n/
noun
noun: intention; plural noun: intentions
- 1.
a thing intended; an aim or plan.
“she was full of good intentions”
synonyms:aim, purpose, intent, objective, object, goal, target, end; More
- the action or fact of intending.
“intention is just one of the factors that will be considered”
synonyms:deliberateness, intentionality, intent, design, calculation; More
antonyms:inadvertency, accident
- the action or fact of intending.
We recently hosted a Fit Atlanta event at Pure Barre Buckhead for a classic-style barre workout, and we finished the event with an intention-setting workshop. All attendees sat in a circle brainstorming and writing their intentions while Abbey Griffith, Lifestyle and Fitness Coach, spoke. Here some of our fab #FitAtlanta Community’s intentions for this month/year—aren’t they SO GOOD?!
“I will extend grace myself grace”
“Keep negative energy out”
“Do more fun things”
“Eat healthy—but don’t worry about the occasional pizza”
“Find deeper connections with people and meet new people”
“Stay true to myself”
“Listen openly to others”
“Practice forgiveness daily”
“Stress less and enjoy life”
“Let go of the things I cannot control”
“Start each day with a positive thought”
“Go to sleep earlier and get to work earlier”
Take 20 minutes to meditate and set your monthly intentions
Intention-setting is an activity you can do by yourself, with your significant other (couples intentions?), or with a group of friends each month. Make it meaningful and fun! Here are our top tips for setting monthly intentions and manifesting your goals in the new year: photos by Amber M Photography
- Light a candle, find a quiet space, meditate on your current situation for a few minutes
- Think about the top 3-5 things you want to accomplish this month
- Write at least 5 intentions (think: actions with purpose) you can practice daily to get you closer to manifesting your goals
- Use your favorite notebook or sketch book to write and draw your intentions
- Get creative! Use markers, colored pencils, pens, stickers, etc. to decorate and bring color to your intentions—example: draw hearts for February, leaves for October, flowers and sun for spring months, etc. Or whatever you feel.
- Share with friends if you’re setting intentions as a group, or keep them private if that’s your preference
- Reference your intentions daily as a reminder. (Hint: take a picture of them to keep on your phone)
It can be intimidating when staring at a blank sheet of paper, but have fun with it! Do what feel best, relax, and enjoy the magic.
