Mindful Monday-Intentions
You may think to yourself, “I always have good intentions” and I say to myself, “what are they?” What is an intention? My explanation is that an intention is a plan and it’s up to us to take that plan and make it an action to the best that we can. It is said that our thoughts (our intentions) become what we do and who we are, therefore, I hope that your intentions are well thought out and acted out for your own good!
When I was a little girl, my grandma who called me Priscilla, always said, “one day at a time Priscilla,” or, “Penny for your thoughts” I guess I was a thinker way back when!? Now that I’m older, I’ve been on a journey of self growth, another interesting topic for another day. It’s said so often that our thoughts become words and I do find myself deep in them at times and will redirect them when they are not serving me. I choose to deflect the negative thoughts and bring more positive ones to mind and build off of them as often as I can. It really works! I’m not saying that negative thoughts don’t cross my mind, I just don’t have a space for them these days. I think a simple example these days is that when I say to my husband, “it’s going to be nice today, in the 60’s” and he responds with, “what’s the low going to be” and right there! I look for the good and he is just always prepared, which is a good thing! We can wire our thoughts, it just takes some intention.
How do you teach intentions?
As I mentioned above, I am on a self growth journey and am becoming very familiar with my own mindset and setting good intentions. I do have the personality of seeking the good in others which is helpful. Here are a few thoughts to help you set your intentions:
Listen to speakers, they will share ways to be intentional, something that will truly empower your thoughts
Choose wisely on your Podcasts, or books you read or those you listen to
Surround yourself with like minded people to support your intentions and move forward with them
Engage in activities that bring your intentions to life
What is an example of an intention?
While you become more and more aware of an intention, these have always helped me to stay focused and intentional on mine:
“Today, I will”
Be present
Be a better listener
Try to eat healthier
Be patient
Be aware of my choices
Be on time
It is up to you to set your intentions with your own personality and character to best suit you. It does take some practice to regroup your thoughts and intentions and it does take some organizing if you will! That’s another thing that I’m working on is to become more organized and this feels good, too. It helps with my intentions, keeps me on task and makes more room for other activities on my schedule which will allow me to grow. Keep your intentions positive, don’t go into negative thoughts like, “I can’t,” or “I won’t” continue to step out of your comfort zone and your intentions will fall into place. As an adult you may Journal, write things down and have visual reminders to keep you focused. Your children are no different.
How can you guide your child to set intentions for themselves:
1. Have a discussion with them so they share with you what their intentions are on the situation or the day that is about to unfold
2. Allow them to visualize this intention, passing a test, making a grade, learning something new. Whatever it may be, allow them to visualize it, perhaps they can draw it on paper and use as a visual reminder. Ask them how it makes them feel, if it’s stressful, work with them to study or find resources to support their intentions.
3. Write about it. Allow them to write about their intentions as they discover and come more in tune to what they are trying to accomplish. Perhaps write down two sentences to describe what the intention is and how it will be accomplished. They may need to repeat this a few times. I have found myself doing this and you learn about yourself during this process. For example, we know that having good grades supports us academically. However, why do you want to be on the team might propose something different. My friends daughter was in Ballet but didn’t not enjoy it. She wanted to play Volleyball. Learning this changed their communications with one another as the daughter was now intentional about doing what she enjoyed doing, it was no longer a chore of sorts.
With the year winding down, so to speak, a New Year is around the corner. Now might be a good time to set intentions for the year ahead. Some call this a Resolution, but to me, an intention is something that we are aware of each and every day of our lives. Where as a resolution is set in the beginning of the year, and for most has been brushed under the rug come mid January. With an intention, you are focused on this in a daily manner, setting your intentions to try harder, to be patient, to listen more, etc. These are things that you want to incorporate into your daily activities, beginning with a thought and creating a plan of action. There are deep feelings that are involved with this, because you want to change something in your daily life. This is a good thing! Stay intentional, you know the feeling of accomplishment, the happiness it brings, the pride you feel and the fact that you didn’t give in to complete your intention is priceless. That’s supporting your growth, your journey, your thoughts in which you want to bring to life. Wow! A child has the same feelings, so, be sure to ask them what their intentions are, how it makes them feel and how you can support them with this. Another wonderful way to communicate with your children and to learn what’s important to them. Why? Well, first, what’s important to you is not always important to them. And, vice versa. You’re an adult, you process or cope with daily activities on a different level. When your child learns that their intentions will take some time, some work and some support, they will learn patience, they will learn to be a better listener, they will learn that their thoughts can indeed become actions and they will want to set their intentions.
Setting intentions will:
Equip your child with a better understanding of the intention
Engage your child creating ownership and accountability for their own intentions
Create an awareness of the choices they make
How can we teach our children to be intentional? Print this out to support them and use as a visual reminder. Create your own so your child feels ownership with their own intentions. Our character Do’er Duck teaches perseverance, print out a poster here for another visual reminder! Print out a Certificate of Achievement here to encourage your child to never give up, support their accomplishment, their intention and to continue working on more.
If you feel compelled, we have a Wish List on Amazon. We have books available, too! Your support goes towards our mission to provide a firm foundation for children to establish strong civic values. Let’s make a difference in the life of a child, together. Did you know you can choose Characters of Character as your nonprofit to support when you shop on Amazon?
TELL me and I forget, TEACH me and I remember, INVOLVE me and I LEARN.