Intentions 2017

/ December 27, 2016

Intentions 2017

intentions, goals, 2017, New Year

I like intentions better than goals. They offer a direction without being fixed on a set goal that often provides momentary happiness if at all. I agree with the perspective that our process is more important than the goal or results. And even more important than the actions, intentions, goals or process is who we become in the course of our life. I believe the purpose of life is to enjoy, learn and become more loving.

Intentions speak to my heart and offer a guiding light for the direction of my soul’s growth, rather than a fixed point to reach or goal to accomplish. There is no magic ending, pot of gold, or rainbow at the end. I believe that it doesn’t matter whether we offer an energy to ourselves or others. The energy grows and benefits both parties regardless. Right now, “loving yourself” seems to be the trendy-to-do for spiritual seekers everywhere. I say it doesn’t matter if you love yourself or others. They accomplish the same thing. What we give is also what we receive. If we fixate on the idea of loving ourselves, we run the risk of living defensively as if we need to protect ourselves from others. And yes, we need to take care of ourselves physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Ideally, life is a dance of giving and receiving.

Here is a wonderful article about Hunter Thompson and his philosophy on how to find your purpose. I agree with his perspective and only wish I had encountered it about 20 years earlier. Maybe it will help some of you find the path that speaks to your heart and brings meaning to your life.

Here are some of my intentions for 2017:

  • Growing as a writer. Maybe try some new forms like short stories or e-books.
  • Being more compassionate.
  • Being more peaceful.
  • Inspiring and encouraging others. My life purpose is communicating love which I am more consciously living thanks to great feedback from friends and readers of this blog. Thank you.
  • Being more engaged with people. I’ve realized that I learn, grow, and enjoy life more via relationships.
  • Being more contented. No matter where I go, what I do or what I accomplish.
  • Being more spacious. Relaxing into life. When I feel off, constricted or strained, I will pause, breathe deeply and relax into life. This opens up space in my body and mind to connect with the spaciousness of being.

To simplify, my life purpose is to communicate love and my intention for 2017 is to be more spacious, relaxing into life. 

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62 thoughts on “Intentions 2017”

  2. There is one passage in the article you reference, Brad, that I repeated in my head over and over again – “we must make the goal conform to the individual, rather than make the individual conform to the goal.”

    This is a brilliant thought, and it aligns very nicely with your focus on intentions over goals. When we are able to focus on the process and what we aim to create through our actions, there seems to be a lot of stress and tension that is released from within, freeing ourselves from the external results of those actions (which sometimes we have no control over).

    I remember reading a book by Stephen Covey many years ago that tells a story of a man climbing the corporate ladder with tenacity and ferocity. He reached the top of the “ladder”, looked around at the glorious view before him, and realized that the ladder he had just climbed was leaning against the “wrong” wall.

    Your intentions are already self-fulfilling, Brad, inspiring me to focus on intentions rather than concrete goals. To connection, peace, and conscious intentions in the new year and beyond!

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    • I’m delighted that my post inspired you to create intentions for the year Dave. Even having read that story from Stephen Covey, I’ve chased a few false goals. Thankfully, I seem to be gaining clarity and direction. BTW, the brilliant idea for molding our goals to our purpose is from Hunter Thompson in the linked article. 🙂 To an intentional New Year filled with blessings!

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  6. I love your final intention, it sounds so rewarding. May your practice allow you to become consistent, so that you relax into life more and more. Wishing you a good and interesting journey!

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  12. I love this post Brad and it reflects the growth and expansion you’ve made of yourself as you’ve duscoved what makes your heart and soul sing in joy… yes goals are fixed and our intention is to flow through life, enjoying and discovering more about our truth and the sensual experiences we can endeavor here on Earth. Love the article you found, it reminds me a little of Kristimurti who I love to read. Here’s to both our intentions in 2017 being connected to the word COMPASSION. (Each year in our business networking we choose a word to focus on and allow it to direct all our intentions for the year… mine is compassion). I had a vision of you the other day and saw you interviewing people in the streets and writing about the ordinary people who manage to smile and enjoy life… no matter what, love to you Brad x barbara x

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  16. What a wonderful list of intentions Brad, and I love the idea of intentions instead of goals or resolutions for the new year. I love the photo you shared as well. Sending you my best intentions for your intentions in the coming year… 🙂

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  18. I love this. I much prefer intentions to goals too! If we fall short of our intentions it feels far less of a failure than not meeting our goals. We’re humans and far too abstract for goals and outcomes void of variables and life. Love your blog, will definitely keep an eye out for more of your stuff. Happy new year!

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  22. This something that I needed to hear today. I just realized that I have been conflicted between goal setting/getting and really just needing to set an intention. Setting the intention would align more with my soul and the goal setting feels more egoic. I’ve been a great goal setter and achiever in the past but it took so much energy to stay focused. Plus, I learned that the best stuff that ever happened I didn’t go looking for it came to me..like blogging. https://unbreakablejoy.wordpress.com/ I’m glad I found you today. I have a few major changes in the works… setting intentions about the experience is what I’m going to do….thanks so much!!! Oh ya, no pressure on my blog. It just feels fun to share my intuitive creative side that I’m just meeting….who, knew? ;>

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      • I’m happy you named my inner conflict. I think I was put on the earth as an old soul. I have spent a life living conventional methods but my soul has always been “chatty”. My blog is about all the intuitive messages I’ve been given. Now I understand the inner conflict…my soul wants her intentions. She can’t do her job without ’em. :>

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