REJUVENATE & THRIVE

Focus: The Power of Setting Intentions: How to Start Your Day with Purpose

"The way you begin your day sets the tone for how you live your life."

Your Weekly Self-Care Newsletter | Volume #10

Wholeness, Reader !

"My circumstances controlled my world for many decades. I didn't know myself - in fact, I actively ran from myself and from truly living my life. Growing up, I observed the adults around me who never seemed happy. They spoke of the complexities and burdens of adult responsibilities, which planted a seed of fear within me. 'I don't want to grow up,' became my mantra, as I longed to remain a child without responsibilities, seeing adulthood as a heavy burden to carry through life.

Through Intentional Self-Care, I finally embraced asking myself the real and hard questions. This practice taught me how to reclaim my power, be intentional when starting my day, and practice cleansing rituals before bed. I've learned that how I begin each grand rising sets the tone for my entire day, though I can always redirect my energy when hiccups occur. This understanding has transformed my relationship with adulthood - from fearing responsibilities to embracing the power of approaching each day with clear intention and purpose."

Be Bliss,

Dr. MoJo:Self-Care Spiritual Cheerleader

Wholeness, Intentional Being!

Welcome to Volume 10 of your self-care journey! This week, we're exploring a practice that can profoundly transform not just your days but your entire life: setting powerful intentions. While the world often pulls us into reactivity—responding to demands, notifications, and others' expectations—intention-setting anchors us in purpose and presence.

Think of intentions as gentle compasses rather than rigid goals. They guide your energy and attention toward what truly matters to you. Unlike goals, which focus on achievement and future outcomes, intentions center you in the present moment and in your deeper values. They answer not "What do I want to accomplish?" but "How do I want to show up in my life today?"

When we begin each day by deliberately setting intentions, we shift from living on autopilot to living with awareness. This week, let's discover how this simple yet profound practice can become the foundation of sustainable self-care.

Food For Thought: THE POWER OF SETTING INTENTIONS

Ribbons create an abstract, rippling design.

The Power of Setting Intentions

Many of us begin our days in reaction mode—reaching for our phones to check messages, rushing through morning routines, or immediately tackling to-do lists. This reactive pattern often continues throughout the day, leaving us feeling scattered, depleted, and disconnected from what truly matters.

Setting intentions creates a different possibility. When you pause each morning to consciously choose how you want to engage with your day, you reclaim your power. You move from being directed by external demands to being guided by your inner wisdom. This isn't about controlling outcomes—it's about choosing your orientation regardless of what unfolds.

The practice works because it activates the reticular activating system in your brain—the filter that determines what you notice and what you overlook. When you set an intention like "I will approach challenges with curiosity today," your brain begins scanning for opportunities to express curiosity. This creates a self-reinforcing cycle: the more you notice these opportunities, the more naturally you embody your intention.

Over time, regular intention-setting rewires your neural pathways, making conscious choice rather than reactivity your default mode. Each morning becomes a sacred pause—a moment to remember what matters most and align your energy accordingly.

Tips~Strategies~Affirmations~Simple Practices:

Paddleboarders enjoy a serene lake at dusk.

Tips:

Connect Intentions to Values: Rather than setting generic intentions, link them to your core values. If connection matters to you, an intention might be: "Today, I will create moments of true presence with those I encounter."
Start Small and Specific: Begin with intentions for specific situations rather than the entire day. "During my morning meeting, I will listen fully before forming judgments" is more actionable than "I will be a better listener."

Strategies:

Grand Rising Anchoring: Attach intention-setting to an existing rising habit like brewing coffee or brushing teeth. This creates a natural trigger for the practice.
Written Affirmation: Write your daily intention on a small card and keep it visible throughout your day—tucked in your wallet, taped to your computer, or set as your phone lock-screen.

Affirmations:

"I create my experience through the power of my intentions."
"With each intentional breath, I align with my highest purpose."

Simple Practices:

Three-Breath Intention: Before rising from bed, take three conscious breaths. On the first, become aware of your body. On the second, acknowledge one thing you're grateful for. On the third, set an intention for how you wish to show up today.
Evening Reflection: Before sleep, briefly journal about moments when you embodied your intention and moments when you forgot. Approach both with curiosity rather than judgment, noting what supported or hindered your alignment.

SELF-ASSESSMENT PRACTICES

Daily Check-In:
On a scale of 1-10, how aligned were my actions today with my morning intention? What supported this alignment? What pulled me away from it? What did I learn that can strengthen tomorrow's practice?

Weekly Reflection:
Looking back on this week's intentions, which ones felt most empowering or centering? Did I notice any patterns in the types of intentions that most effectively guided my days? How has regular intention-setting affected my overall sense of purpose and presence?

HABIT TRACKING

Intention-Setting Practices:

Morning intention set before looking at phone: □ Mon □ Tue □ Wed □ Thu □ Fri □ Sat □ Sun
Paused to reconnect with intention midday: □ Mon □ Tue □ Wed □ Thu □ Fri □ Sat □ Sun
Evening reflection on daily intention: □ Mon □ Tue □ Wed □ Thu □ Fri □ Sat □ Sun
Wrote down intention in visible place: □ Mon □ Tue □ Wed □ Thu □ Fri □ Sat □ Sun

WISDOM FROM SPIRITUAL MOTHERS

"How you start your day is how you live your day. How you live your day is how you live your life."
— Louise Hay

"When you know better, you do better. When you get, give. When you learn, teach."
— Maya Angelou

"When you make a decision that supports your well-being, you also make a decision that supports the well-being of everyone your life touches."
— Iyanla Vanzant

FROM MY HEART TO YOURS

SiStar, as you embrace the practice of setting daily intentions, remember that this isn't about perfection. There will be days when you forget, when the world's demands sweep you into reactivity despite your best intentions. This isn't failure—it's being human.

What matters isn't perfect consistency but your willingness to begin again. Each time you notice you've drifted from your intention, each time you gently bring yourself back to purpose and presence, you strengthen the muscle of awareness. This return—not the uninterrupted maintenance of intention—is where the deepest growth happens.

Trust that even subtle shifts in how you begin your day can create profound ripples. By choosing to start with intention rather than reaction, you're not just changing your day—you're gradually transforming your relationship with time, with others, and with yourself.

The world needs women who move through life with conscious intention rather than depleting reactivity. Your practice isn't just personal—it's a contribution to a more mindful, compassionate world. Each morning you pause to set intention, you join countless others creating islands of presence in a sea of distraction.

I honor your commitment to living more intentionally and celebrate each moment you remember to choose your response rather than merely react. This is sacred work—the work of becoming ever more fully yourself.

With deep appreciation for your practice,

Your Self-Care Spiritual Cheerleader

Join Ignite Your Inner YOU Community where it starts and ends with you BECOMING Intentionally YOU! It's time to start BETTING ON YOU! On Sunday, APRIL 27TH, 2025 @ 6pm to 7:30pm EST, THE HEART CHAKRA!

Pricing Options: