How to Create Clear Intentions with @spiritdaughter
Looking to set intentions for the new year, but not sure where to begin? Our cosmic contributor Jill Wintersteen of Spirit Daughter is here to help with practices to make your 2018 full of purpose, gratitude and magic.
Every year around this time, we are inundated with media encouraging us to declare resolutions, to commit to something, and to make a fresh start in the new year. If you are clear about what you want, it’s a powerful time to create habits and patterns that will help you have the best year ever. However, if you are unsure of what life you want to live, which many of us are, the New Year energy can feel stressful and the pressure to start the year off on the right foot can cloud your intuition.
In a world where anything is possible, how do we become clear about what we want? Clarity is essential to manifesting your desires. You wouldn’t go into a restaurant and order “something spicy” or “something with chicken”, you make a detailed order complete with a beverage selection. The universe works the same way. It thrives on details, and the more detailed you are in your requests the more exact you order will be. Below are some practices for developing a deep understanding of exactly what you want and how to manifest it in the New Year.
Daily 5/5 List
This practice will teach you what you want over time. Before making resolutions, try completing the practice for 7 days in a row. Begin by first writing a few things you are grateful for. Gratitude is the fastest way to change your energetic vibration and you want to be at your best before writing this list.
Write 5 things you have to do that day. These can be errands, to-do lists items, or simply reminding yourself to eat lunch. This piece will give clarity on your current daily commitments. You may feel excited about your day or you may feel resentful for your obligations. With all of this information, begin to make mental or physical notes of the tasks you truly enjoy and the ones you dread.
Next write 5 things that you want to do in your life. They can occur at any time and there are no limits. These are your deep resounding yes’s. Things like “Buy a house in the mountains”, “Travel to the Maldives”, or “Develop unconditional love for myself and others.” Do not worry about the how or the why at this point, just write about the things you want to do or who you want to become. As you write these lists everyday, you’ll begin to see a pattern. Some things will change, while others will the stay the same. Keep up this practice through months or years, and look back to see what was consistent versus what was just a fleeting desire.
For our purposes, do this practice for a week, then look back over your asks. Begin to craft your resolutions from the desires that repeat everyday. If your dream is to travel, then you may make a resolution that disciplines you to save money. Perhaps you want to develop courage, then a corresponding resolution may be to do something each month that scares you, like asking for a raise or speaking your truth. The point is to make resolutions that match what you truly want to see in your life. Some will be action oriented, while some will help you cultivate a particular energy.
Feel into your Dreams
You may find your list of desires changes every day and you don’t know which dream you really want. This uncertainty is natural. It’s also natural to want something one day, then get it, only to find out you want something different. Often times we need to “try on” different dreams before we can know which one is best. We can do this by actually trying them out or we can get a taste of how our body and energy reacts to the vision through daydreaming. Even when our mind can’t decide, our bodies never lie.
Say you want a new job, but you’re unsure of where you want to work. You have two companies in mind, maybe more. Sit back and allow your body to relax. Before you start the practice, do a quick body scan by mentally going through your body from head to toes. Notice any existing tension. Don’t try to change anything, just notice what is already present in your energy. Now begin to imagine, in detail, a day of work at the first company. After you’ve gone through your imaginary day, go back to the body scan and notice if any thing has changed. Observe any new tension or the release of previous tension. Feel how your body reacted to the dream, were there any blocks or openings? Take a few breaths to reset, then start the process for the second dream. Afterwards compare how you felt in the two different scenarios. Your body can tell you a lot of things, like when something doesn’t fully resonate with you or where fear is hiding. Spend time exploring and use this information from your energetic field to form your resolutions.
You can do this practice as often as you like and with as many different scenes you can dream up, just tune in and let your body lead the way. Once you begin to understand your body’s messages, these signals can become part of your intuitive knowledge- always with you and capable of giving you information the mind can’t sense.
Above all, remember to love and be patient with yourself through the process of gaining clarity. Getting clear on what we truly want in life is a practice of self discovery. When you’ve settled on your commitments, make certain they are ones you can keep, but forgive yourself if you slip up or have an off day. In that case, just return to your resolution and continue on your journey wiser for the experience. Be excited for this time of year, the energy of the universe is supporting us in creating powerful intentions. It’s a special time when we have the fuel to motivate us towards a new dream and a new life. Embrace the journey and remember that you are ultimately in control of your destiny, you just need to be clear. Happy Manifesting!
