If you know Lauryn, you know she is very specific about her morning routine. For her, starting each day right is crucial for the health of her mind and body, her family, and her business. Every part of her morning routine has a purpose each step upgrades her daily life in some way.
For the last few years, Lauryn has made a point to set morning intentions. Setting an intention every day is a powerful tool that helps set the tone for the day. Instead of being thrown every which way by the many things that come up throughout your day, setting morning intentions allows you to stay present in the moment and live a more intentional life. So today, we’ll be talking all about the benefits of setting intentions and how to get started with implementing this healthy habit!
We recently had Dr. Rangan Chatterjee on the show, and he taught us all about the importance of a solid morning routine that includes both reflection and intention for the day. That may sound like a lot, but trust us it doesn’t take much to truly turn your life around. Don’t believe us? Hear it for yourself! The episode is available here:
How to Set Morning Intentions & Why They Are Important
Before we dive into our guide on how to set intentions, let’s talk about what intentions actually are. Understanding fully what kind of habit we’re trying to implement will help you truly appreciate the benefits, as well as help with your consistency.
What Are Intentions?
Intentions are the practice of using mindfulness to reflect and determine a focus for the day. It’s kind of like a goal, except it’s more actionable and present. When you set an intention, you are telling the universe that you are ready to take action toward your goal, & you know how you’re going to do it. This lets the universe know that you will not settle for less and it tells your brain the same thing, too.
Morning intentions should be specific, actionable, and achievable. If you set a morning intention that’s too big or impossible to uphold, you’ll only end up in a shame spiral. Not the vibe!Instead, morning intentions are there to build you up. Wanna know how? Lucky for you, we’ve got all the benefits of morning intentions below.
Why Is Morning Intention Setting Important?
Morning intentions set a focus for the day.
When you take the time to set a morning intention, you are determining what area of your life you’d like to focus on for the day. This can help you stay on task throughout the day, keeping your actions aligned with your intention.
They help you stay more grounded and present during your day.
Because morning intentions give you something to focus on for the day, it gives you a kind of tether to help you stay grounded. You’ll remember what you wanted to focus on when you were at your calmest and most present. You’ll also be able to bring that calm and presence to moments where you may have otherwise felt frantic. This calm and presence is a game changer when it comes to stressful situations.
If you set morning intentions, you are more likely to have motivation.
Starting the day with a clear sense of purpose is essential to following through on your plans. Think about it: if you’re not clear on what you should be doing, how are you going to do it? Morning intentions provide you with the clarity you need to have motivation for the day. Plus, setting intentions can be the first step to get your momentum going.
This daily practice can help reduce stress and anxiety.
Morning intentions are a great way to combat stress. This is because staying true to your intentions helps you feel more accomplished. You feel more easily able to have a positive mindset. This positive mindset is what can really help decrease your anxiety.
When you have a positive mindset, you tend to respond to stressors with both an ability to stay calm and the confidence that you can handle that stressor.
You will see your self-confidence grow through this practice.
As you prove to yourself over and over again that you can make progress towards your goals by staying true to your intentions, your confidence will soar. Plus, you’re more easily able to stay true to your values when you are able to stay grounded, which means you’re truly being your best self!
They are a great way to direct your personal growth.
Every day, you grow in some direction. It’s your choice whether or not that growth is contributing to your goals, or keeping you from them. But, a lot of our behavior can be automatic. Setting morning intentions takes that growth from the subconscious to the conscious, allowing you to decide how you’re going to grow.
This is essential if you’re trying to break bad habits. Breaking habits isn’t easy, but it’s a lot easier when you’re able to be intentional throughout your day.
How To Set Daily Intentions In The Morning
Take some time to reflect.
Think about what you appreciate in life, what you want more of, and what you hope to achieve or experience today.
Determine an area of focus.
After reflecting, narrow it down. What part of your life do you want to focus on today?
Get specific with your intention.
Once you’ve got your focus, be specific about what your intention is. For example, if you want to focus on family, you may have the intention of ensuring that you’re done with work by the time your kids are done with school so that you can be present with your family.
Write it down.
Did you know that you remember things better when you write them down? Even something as simple as writing your intention on a sticky note can help support your brain to fulfill your intention.
Visualize yourself fulfilling the intention.
Now that you’ve got your intention, visualize what your day will look like with you fulfilling it. This is a good mindfulness practice that can make a big difference in how you respond as the day actually unfolds.
Live an intentional day!
Once you’re done visualizing, go ahead and live your most intentional day. We know you’ll feel a lot better when you do!
Morning intentions are a powerful tool for living your best life.
Seriously, if you haven’t tried morning intentions yet, you’ll be shocked at how drastic of a change you’ll see.
Of course, that’s not the only way that you can upgrade your life. Lauren has tons of great recommendations on how to live a better life. You can find them here!
Have you tried setting morning intentions? Let us know how they’ve changed your life!