Have you ever find yourself knowing what you want without having a single clue on how to get there? For example, at the peak of an argument, you realise you just want to have a peaceful relationship with the other person involved but you have no idea how to turn things around, or in a job that isn't proving to be rewarding, you would like your achievements to be acknowledged and don't really know how.
Today I wanted to share a simple yet very effective technique: it is about formulating your goal with a sentence starting with "I set the intention to ...".
How can that be that simple?
First, keep in mind that the solution won't be served on a silver platter right away, yet it will be easy, simply because that sentence will set in motion thoughts, behaviours, connections, etc. in order to make it happen.
It is a little bit like 'affirmations' or 'mantras' used in psychology - sentences repeated in order to shift your mindset and therefore your reality. Researches on the self-affirmation theory found that there is MRI evidence that certain neural pathways are increased when people practice self-affirmation tasks (Cascio et al., 2016, source: Positive Psychology Website). Your brain is responding to affirmations by screening them, by trying to understand if it is true, if it could be true in your life, if it is feasible, etc. While challenging those affirmations, it creates scenarios using all your knowledge: you might want to reject the idea at first - "sounds impossible", "not realistic", "not for me" - yet while evaluating the "how", your brain is also creating lots of new pathways and images in your head.
Have you ever ended up buying something fashionable you didn't really like a few months ago?
Why do we change our minds? How do we end up shifting the perspective? For fashionable clothes, it is often because we see them everywhere, more and more. What wasn't for us change into a possibility, then a session in a fitting room to evaluate whether it might be an option, and next thing you know, you own it and wear it.
It's the same with affirmations: we repeat it a lot, we start getting use to it without necessarily completely agreeing, and next thing we know we actually start to find it true (which is a reminder that negative thoughts can poison your life, positive thoughts nurture it: don't forget to focus on what is good for you).
In addition to the mechanism of affirmations, this technique adds a layer of intentionality: you are not only telling yourself what you want as if you had it, your are telling yourself what to prioritise and focus on. This sentence amplifies the affirmation and brings determination and strength.
How to build your sentence?
Let's take the before-mentioned examples:
- at the peak of an argument, you realise you just want to have a peaceful relationship with the other person involved but you have no idea how to turn things around => "I set the intention to have a peaceful relationship with XYZ".
- a job that isn't proving to be rewarding, you would like your achievements to be acknowledged and don't really know how => "I set the intention to be rewarded/ acknowledged".
If you want to find a way out of a storm of thoughts and/or emotions => "I set the intention to find a way out of this/ to find the right ideas for me/ to feel better/ to find a new approach", etc.
Once you feel better you can move to your next intention.
What can you add to make this even more efficient?
Before using that sentence, pause, close your eyes - or use your own way to refocus. Make this sentence your priority, as if you had a deadline in 3 minutes and this was vital for you. Accept that you don't know how to get this result, but you know you want it. Bring the energy of "I don't know how, but it will happen". When you say your sentence, do not leave any room for anything else: "I set me intention to ...".
Note that if your intention is negative for someone else or not about yourself, it will end up being real for you only: just like the fashionable clothes weren't in your wardrobe, your brain is bringing your intention into your life. It's like a captivating movie or book: you feel you are one of the character.
Therefore, focus on your goals and your happiness, even if sometimes you first want to change the world around you.
#cognitivebehaviouraltherapy#selfawareness#selfconfidence#cbt#cbttherapy#hypnotherapy#hypnotherapyonline#hypnotherapyforanxiety#hypnotherapyheals#kinesiology#energywork#shiftyourenergy#selfempowerment#selfempowermentjourney#mindbody#mindbodysoul#mindbodyconnection#healing#mentalhealth#mentalhealthawareness#mentalhealthmatters#mentalhealthrecovery#mentalhealthadvocate#mentalhealthsupport#mentalhealthblogger#personaldevelopment#personaldevelopmentjourney#personaldevelopmentgoals#selfcarematters#confiself_#loveyourself#healingjourney
Comentários