What is your intent?
… and what do I mean by this question?
What motivates you to do what you do? And why am I writing this article right now?
These are all excellent questions, and they are all connected to the word “intent”. The word derives from the old French word entent, which means goal, purpose, end, and aim.
It is paramount to examine your motivation or purpose for doing the things you do. Are the intentions good or bad, and/or can they be classified in these two categories?
In my view, intent can either be good or bad when it comes to interacting with other people. It’s also important for me to think about my intentions or what drives me to do things that directly affect me.
For example, why do I smoke? What makes me do yoga three times a week? It is important that I know why I sit down to write this article on a snowy Saturday afternoon.
As I lay in bed last night, I tried to doze off and take at least a 30-minute nap, but that proved to be impossible. By the way, I love moving furniture around until I find the perfect balance and place for every object, which is why I couldn’t sleep yesterday. My first move upon waking up was to go to the living room and rearrange the stuff there (again). But why? One wonders. I wanted a spot in one corner where I’d be able to write in my journal, do creative work, and finally start doing the Completion Process steps by Teal Swan (if you don’t know who she is, look her up, you won’t regret it).
Taking a deeper look behind that, I can discover why I wish to do all of this for myself… the process, the journal, the creative work, until I get to the bottom of the first layer of intent.
Sincerely, there are times when it is ok to stop at whichever layer feels most comfortable for you at that time. I do recommend working with a therapist if you decide to really go within. There may be times when you need a helping hand or a crying shoulder, and that’s okay. Don’t feel as if you must do it by yourself.
There are some people who do “good things” with bad intentions. Some may even be convinced that what they are doing is the right thing, but if you looked inside, you’d find that their intentions are tainted and unwholesome. I’ve seen some examples, and I got scared, to be honest. The experience prompted me to look within and search for any signs of the thing within me. Because I know that…
The ability to look directly into intent’s eyes requires raw honesty and inner strength.
If you do meet up with Intent often, then kudos to you because you are self-aware, and you do not fear the truth! :)
What is the intent behind the intent?
Why am I even writing about intent now? Personally, I want to be more aware and present. The intention behind that is, of course, the fact that I am not at the moment. To better understand why I keep this question open during my therapy sessions. :)
Understanding my intentions will determine the outcome of my actions as well as yours. A meaningful life begins with answering the simple yet profound question of why you are doing what you are doing.
Good luck to us all!
