Where are you with your intentions this year?
Yes, I made up a new word! Intentional-izing!
The 6th month of the year is here. That means we are halfway through 2022.
Where did/do I intend to go?
What did/do I intend to do?
What did/do I intend to buy?
Am I saving what I was going to?
What did/do I intend to do with this…with that?
How are you feeling about your intentions? Did you forget some of them, and can’t even remember them? Are you planning to get to them? Are you ashamed to say that you have done little to keep what you intended? This halfway mark is a great time to examine yourself. It’s a great time to realize that it isn’t too late.
When we begin to dissect our intentions, perhaps we will ‘intentionally’ rethink much of what we do. It may take a minute, but it’s productive and could save so many hassles. Recently I have taken the time to learn more about planning and time management. The problem with anything that can be a better motivator, is that it is useless if we don’t make a commitment. So I decided to get it on paper. I invested in some new Franklin Covey planner sheets. I also found some ways to spruce up my daily planner to make it more inviting (and wanting to go back). If you have a checklist for the day, the week, the month, the more you are then able to take an inventory of how you are doing. Be realistic and fair to yourself though. Some may ask why on earth would you want to put things on paper? That’s so old fashioned, and a waste of time. I also use my work calendar and phone (so I have a triple reminder). You’ll be amazed when you see what is left unchecked, you have to think about the ‘why’ this didn’t get done. Examining our time spent is a priceless investment. That few hours a month is a great investment in you, your loved ones, and your future. You may warrant yourself a much more productive life.
If you are a believer/Christian, do you realize you have a uniqueness in Christ? You were created by God so he could fulfill his direct purposes for your life. That means he wants to work his purposes for you, in and through YOU…not anyone else. You were not created to fulfill the purposes of anyone else’s life. God has his own things for them. This includes your spouse, your kids, parents, siblings, cousins, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and so forth. God may use you as a guide or example to point them in the right direction (especially when they see you making progress). Maybe he will guide you to a song, a scripture, an article, or YouTube video that would benefit them. But you can’t plan for anyone else’s success but your own.
Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
You may be thinking how can I possibly do this now? God just wants a willingness from you. Stop thinking where you may have failed this year and start ‘doing’ forward.
Start prioritizing your intentions as a must. That may mean you have to schedule in things that you seriously want to get done (working out, reading the bible/or a book, you may even have to set limits on your social media – use a kitchen timer or countdown clock on your phone). Track yourself for a few days and jot down what you did through the day. How much time did I spend doing this or that? Then figure out what you need to change and write it down. Physically writing something down often will help you organize your thoughts better. You can see it in front of you and erase, cross out, and splice it up. This method uses a the frontal lobe part of your brain (good brain exercise). This works the area responsible for movement, reasoning, judgement, planning and problem solving. That is something to think about.
What keeps our intentions afloat? We all have to actually find what works best for us. As an individual, progress can look different for everyone. What’s important is staying intentional about it. That’s where the intentional-izing comes in!
If we really want something, we must be willing to pay the costs that are required to get to it. You can do this!