Value Based Intention Setting
A practice to connect and support self-growth.
Core values are the things that are important to us. Throughout our lives, they rise and fall in importance depending on what we're going through and what we'd like to move towards. Reflecting on core values can be helpful to understand more about who you are and how you interact with the world around you. From the list below, what values are important to you?
Core Values:
- Curiosity
- Trust
- Balance
- Health
- Connection
- Ease
- Rest
- Sustainability
- Courage
- Learning
- Dedication
- Mindfulness
- Passion
- Resilience
- Openness
- Assertiveness
- Truth
- Creativity
- Autonomy
- Freedom
- Honesty
- Spirituality
- Community
- Space
- Time
- Joy
- Compassion
- Care
- Love
- Hope
- Honesty
- Authenticity
Intention Setting
An intention is something you would like to cultivate or grow in your life. It could be one word or one statement that resonates with you like "listening", "slowing down", "letting go", "self-kindness" or "trusting the process". You may like to practice intention setting at the beginning of the day or week, or explore a more formal practice at the beginning of the month, season, or year. The guide below will step you through a monthly intention setting practice with journaling prompts to support you.
Intention setting can be a helpful practice to increase self-awareness, focus, and support you through times of change. If you are feeling lost, stuck, overwhelmed, confused, or unsure about who you are, this practice may help you ground and connect to yourself on a deeper level. With intention setting there is no set goal or destination, so you are not set up for failure. An intention can act as a gentle reminder of who you are and what you would like to cultivate.
Intention Setting Guide
Step 1 — Prepare a comfortable space to journal and reflect.
Step 2 — If it feels right for you, take a moment to ground through meditation. Here is a recording for you.
Step 3 — Reflect and journal about the month that's been. Here are a few prompts:
What changes have occurred in the past month?
What challenges have come up for you?
What are you proud of?
Who has had a meaningful impact on you?
What self-care practices have you found helpful?
How have your stress, mood and anxiety levels been?
What have you learnt about yourself?
What have you been grateful for?
Step 4 — Highlight key insights from your journalling to identify what areas of your life need attention and care.
Step 5 — Reflect on the core values that are most important to you at this point in your life. Choose 1 - 3 and write why they feel important.
Step 6 — Create an intention (one word or one statement) that you'd like to cultivate over the next month and describe why you have chosen it.
Step 7 — Journal about, or visualise yourself living with your intention. What could it look and feel like to embody this intention in everyday life?
Tips for Cultivating your Intention
- Write it down somewhere you can see
- Discuss your intention with someone you trust
- Repeat your intention to yourself in your head and remind yourself why it is important
- Ask yourself each day, “what is one thing I can do today to cultivate my intention?"
- Reflect or journal about how your intention is going, acknowledging your efforts and any challenges that arise
- Be kind to yourself and take one step at a time