“Our intention creates our reality.”

~ Wayne Dyer

When I was 16 or 17 and suffering from angst like most teenagers, I often woke at the crack of dawn. To assuage my overwhelming feeling of anxiety, I would hop on my bike and ride around the city in the early light. The streets were quiet at that time — people just starting to stir in their beds — not even the milkman was around! The morning sun was painting the sky with vibrant colours, the dew on the grass glistening like jewels. The quiet solitude of morning and the fresh summer air filled me with a wonder so big it made my heart ache.

I cannot recall the thoughts and feelings that swirled through my mind back then, but I remember the sense of exhilaration and joy that I experienced on those days. I felt that I was a part of something bigger than myself.

I am no longer that uneasy young girl, but early mornings are still my favourite time of day to wander. I love nothing better than to wake up as dawn is breaking, throw back the covers, and step out into the morn! I revel in the quiet beauty of the world — peaceful, shiny and new. Breathing in, I feel amazement at the stillness. No sounds, apart from some lovely birdsong and the happy panting of my dog trotting alongside me. The world is truly my oyster, and I believe I can do anything because here I am, part of this incredible universe!

Of course, since I am human, that feeling of invincibility diminishes to a mere wisp as I move through my routine day. There are times, though, when inspiration stays with me, that I feel the most creative, productive, and happy.

This year, I want to capture those feelings of awe, gratitude and confidence more often. I want to wake up in the morning, ready for whatever awaits me. I want to start each day with intention.

I gave up making New Year’s resolutions long ago. I am like millions of others, who would set a goal on January 1st, only to abandon it entirely by the end of the month. This year, I am ready to try something new, focus my energy on my ambitions and bring my dreams to fruition.

Setting an intention — how do I do that? I found a lot of advice online about the “right” or “best” way to change your life by setting intentions. I decided to listen to my heart and put my own spin on it.

I like the idea of setting intentions weekly or even daily. Life is up and down, so having a guide to living my life resonates deeply with me. I wear my emotions on my sleeve — I need an anchor to keep me focused on my actions throughout the day. I can see the value of having a clear intention to become the person I want to be.

After thinking about the intentions I would like to adopt, I came up with this list.

• I intend to find beauty in everything
• I intend to stay calm and focused
• I intend to be afraid and do it anyway
• I intend to welcome change
• I intend to be open to success and abundance
• I intend to allow myself to be vulnerable
• I intend to connect meaningfully with others
• I intend to forgive myself and others
• I intend to find delight in every day
• I intend to practice gratitude today
• I intend to accept myself and all my flaws
• I intend to love unconditionally

These twelve statements are powerful ways that I believe can guide me to a more joyful existence. I haven’t quite decided how to apply these thoughts to my life — perhaps I will try a new intention every week, or maybe a monthly change would work well.

I’ve read a fair few articles on setting intentions, some of which declare that doing this will help your dreams come true. I am not sure that I believe that this practice will manifest my every desire. But I think that by setting authentic intentions, I can change my attitude and increase my well-being. I also believe that positivity attracts positivity — so who knows? Perhaps my intentions will manifest my wishes!

Where will your intentions lead you?