Intend to Do Something Wonderful

Clean out the garage. Go on a diet. Exercise more. Complain less. Looks like a list of New Year’s resolutions. Very often by the middle of January, the resolution list is losing some of its appeal. Reality sets in along with the old routine and we can quickly forget the good intentions we had for turning over a new leaf. By February, they are a dim memory.

But, we continue to create resolutions at the beginning of every year. Or at least some do. Others, after having seen too many of them fall by the wayside have just quit making resolutions. Are all resolutions doomed to fail? How do you create more success and follow-through with the changes you would like to see in your life?

An interesting meaning behind the word “intention” has to do with “setting forth”. Maybe one of the reasons our resolutions so often fail is that we plan but never begin. We fail to start. Without movement of some kind, they stay in one place.

Do we care enough about our intention to spend our time and energy moving forward to manifest it in our life? If we don’t, we will fail to invest our time and effort to obtain it. A deep intention carries the weight of our desire and passion and will have a much greater chance of succeeding.

The next step in moving forward to set a deep intention in motion is to ask yourself, “What can I do today to work towards this goal?” Depending on your goal, your answer will vary, but usually there is a phone call, information gathering, journaling, or some small step that you can take to begin. All manifestation and creation is made up of numerous small steps. If you can do even one thing to begin, you are on your way to success.

When you are setting spiritual goals, the questions you ask hold the power to lead you further down the path. Some important questions to ask yourself for the next year could include:

• What is my personal soul covenant? This answers the questions of why I am here, what am I here to learn, and who am I here to serve.
• What is the next step on my spiritual path?
• Where am I resistant to letting Spirit work in my life?
• Am I serving in the way that best fulfills my soul covenant?
• Am I listening more to the voice of Spirit in my life or is my ego still calling the shots?
• How is my life different this year than last?
• Has my picture of God grown larger over the last year or are my beliefs exactly the same as they have always been? Why or why not?
• Am I a more loving person with my family, my neighbors, and my co-workers?
• Has my spiritual practice—prayer, meditation, study of sacred scriptures, time spent learning in nature, and service to others—transformed my life?
• Do I have a daily spiritual practice in my life?
• Do I know the voice of Spirit?
• Do I spend consistent time in quiet before God, listening for God’s voice and gaining a greater understanding of the reason for my life?

The answers to these questions help one to formulate spiritual intentions for the year. They could include intentions like:

• Commit to spending at least 15 minutes per day in spiritual practice of some kind.
• Work with a spiritual mentor.
• Talk with my family members about what goals we might create together to have a more harmonious home.

Just like other intentions, setting spiritual goals require that we begin. The good news is that we are co-creators. Our Creator loves to help us manifest good things in our lives. If we set our desires before our Creator, we can be assured that we will have help along the way. The Spirit assists us in making changes in our lives and helps us to fulfill our reason for being here. There has never been a better time for creating something new in your life. Begin today!