I is for INTENTIONS

I is for "INTENTIONS"

If "the road to hell is paved with good intentions", then I've probably helped create the super highway.  I have some awesome intentions.  My intentions are award-worthy, I mean REALLY award-worthy.  If there was a Nobel prize for intentions, you'd nominate me.  

 Every night before I go to sleep, my thoughts are full of these amazing intentions.  They usually revolve around dusting off resolutions that have fallen by the wayside, getting all kinds of personal and professional goals accomplished, being fully present with my family (more on that tomorrow), and not making any snide remarks to my husband (if I accomplish this one, look out- it can't be anything other than an indicator that Armageddon will soon be upon us;-).   I fall asleep happy, with all of my thoughts neatly arranged in their proper spots, ready for the next day, where I'm convinced I'll be moving about in a Glinda-like ball of light, accomplishing everything I've planned, all while smiling, of course.

Fast forward to 4:30 a.m. the next morning, when my alarm goes off.  I hit the ground running, multitasking from the time my feet hit the floor.  I boot up my computer while I make my cereal, and then while I eat, I check through personal and professional e-mails.  Do I stick exclusively to the e-mails?  No way!  I get haplessly sidetracked by the latest exploits of celebrities...I am an absolute sucker for "Who wore it best?"!  From casting my vote as to who I felt looked better in the dress, it becomes a VERY slippery slope, down to OMG, an even the very occasional (gasp!) TMZ. I eventually tear myself away, and get the iron heating up while I finish the e-mails and lesson materials (o.k., and wrap up the celeb gossip) for the day.  While I iron our clothes for the day, I make a list of things I need to do, some of which I came up with during my  pre-slumber thoughts of intentions.   By this time, though, some of what I had intended to do (exercise almost always finds its way into this abyss) has already been relegated to "tomorrow", which puts it "on deck" for that night's intention-fest. *sigh*

 Does this ever happen to you?   It's practically a daily occurrence for me.  One of my fantasies involves me morphing into one of those people who always does what they're supposed to do- eats all of the right foods, exercises every day, sticks to a budget, goes to bed early, eschews reality television, and knows every nuance of the GOP candidates.  Alas, it has yet to be.  again, *sigh*

After lots of thinking, I may have found the critical element for making more of my intentions become reality.  I believe the equation goes something like this:

INTENTIONS + PAUSE = INTENTIONAL ACTIONS

Up until now, I've been omitting the "pause" phase, and simply waking each morning and jumping directly into the vortex of daily life with young kids and constant influx of media.  As soon as I allow myself to be swept into the vortex, I stop approaching the day with intention, and start operating on autopilot (autopilot is where all of my bad habits live;-).  With autopilot, the equation looks like this:

INTENTIONS+ NO PAUSE= SAME OLD, SAME OLD

 or, in the words of a quote I have on my dresser...

IF YOU ALWAYS DO WHAT YOU'VE ALWAYS DONE, YOU'LL ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU'VE ALWAYS GOT

If our goal is to put all of those late night intentions into action, then we need to begin each day with a pause to think about exactly how we intend the day to unfold.  By bringing those intentions to light in the morning, we increase the likelihood that they'll become reality.   Give them the priority they deserve, put them ahead of e-mails, ironing, and (ahem) celebrity check-ins.  Prior to turning on the computer, opening a book, or reading your horoscope (yup, I do that, too!), take a moment to recall your intentions from the night before.  Which ones make sense in the light of day? With which ones can you make progress today, if you make a concentrated effort?  Try it and see, just for today!