Turn intention into action by creating new beliefs
How to follow through on your intentions by changing what you believe
“Changing beliefs is a shortcut
to changing ourselves.”
Annette Kurtz
Most mornings I spend time writing in my journal, and I usually end the practice by setting an intention for the day ahead (i.e., My intention for today is _____________ so I will ____________).
I’m not alone; many people I know also like to set a daily intention, yet intention without following up with action doesn’t get you very far.
It’s hard, though, to get into action without the corresponding belief that it’s possible, and, when there’s no action plan that you can believe in, it often leads to frustration, overwhelm, and feeling stuck.
That’s why it’s so important to move beyond merely setting intentions to actually creating the beliefs necessary to reach your goals.
This may mean really looking at old beliefs that you’ve held onto for many years, sometimes for as long as you can remember, and replacing them with new, or at least updated, ones.
So how do you start creating new beliefs?
Choose what you want to believe: The first step is to remember that you get to choose what you believe. Just because you’ve always thought something is true doesn’t mean that you can’t change your thoughts when confronted with new evidence.
Meditate, move and write: New beliefs will require a lot of effort to internalize because your brain will automatically direct you to the old, more familiar, ones. Meditate on them, let them flow through you when you move, and journal about them.
Create evidence to support new beliefs: Practice saying your new beliefs out loud as often as you can. Envision a future version of yourself who fully lives into them. Notice how you feel as you think new thoughts and believe new things about yourself and your dream.
Here are 5 journal prompts to help you get started:
The new belief(s) I want to create is/are: ___________________________________________________________________..
Since some of your beliefs may have their roots in old traditions, how can you create new beliefs, while still holding onto the traditions that are important to you?
How can you take the most important beliefs from your past and move joyfully and authentically into the future?
How can you widen your perspective to consider and respect the beliefs of others without compromising your integrity?
What support do you need to help you create new beliefs?
I like to think about intentions, beliefs and actions like this:
Intention + belief + action = results
Intention - belief = inaction (no results)
As we head into a new year, it’s the perfect time to start creating new beliefs and setting daily intentions to create your dreams and goals.
It’s time to start believing in yourself!
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I’d love to hear from you so please send any comments or questions to me at sharon@sharonashtoncoaching.com. Feel free to share this email with anyone else who may be interested.
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What is stopping you from living your best life? Get out your journal and a pen and take the new quiz on my website to find out:
Are you interested in learning more about life change & mindset coaching from a mind/body perspective? Please email me at sharon@sharonashtonmindfulyoga.com for more information or to schedule a free introductory consultation to see if coaching is right for you. You can also visit my website coaching page.
"I felt at complete ease with Sharon from our first conversation. She has a wonderful, gentle but firm way that made me focus on my thoughts / feelings so I could remove / change to move forward with a completely different feeling to what felt like obstacles. It was great having regular coaching that gently kept me accountable to actioning and moving towards my goals. Sharon has vast experience in so many areas, I felt that makes her an amazing coach.”
— Michelle Carney, East Galway, Ireland
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