Faith, Hope and Intentions – You Can Move Forward

Have you ever felt like you were wandering on a path and had a hard time choosing which path to put your feet on? With the age of electronics and immediate news, life gets so messy and distracting, as I wonder what is going on in the world and what is going to happen. My search for what my intentions began a bit ago, when I was hit with the pandemic and forced to work from home, just like you. What were my dreams? How could I fit faith and hope into what I wanted to achieve. I began to reexamine my goals and intentions and tried to figure out the difference. about four years later, I am just now getting to the focal point of what I believe is why I was put on earth. Join me in my journey and take what I have learned. Allow your faith, while you apply hope and create authentic and aligned intentions to help you get up and move forward towards the life you have always wanted and dreamed about.

Difference Between Faith and Hope

Growing up I had an innate faith in God and very few family members that I trusted. The world I lived in as a child wasn’t always safe and I have to admit, I had little hope for my future. As I grew into adulthood, through much soul searching, counseling and prayer, I have overcome the negative thoughts of my past. More recently, I have learned the difference between faith and hope and I think it is so important the embrace the differences.

Faith and hope are related concepts, but they have distinct differences in their meaning and application:

Faith:

Definition: Faith is a deep and often unwavering belief in something, typically based on trust or confidence, even in the absence of concrete evidence or proof. It can pertain to religious or spiritual beliefs, trust in a person, or confidence in the success of an endeavor.

Certainty: Faith tends to imply a high level of certainty or conviction. When you have faith in something, you believe it to be true or trustworthy with a strong sense of assurance.

Stability: Faith often represents a stable and enduring belief. It doesn’t easily waver or change, and it can be a fundamental aspect of one’s worldview or personal philosophy.

Religious and Spiritual Context: In many contexts, faith is closely associated with religious or spiritual beliefs. It involves trust and devotion to a higher power or a set of religious principles.

Hope:

Definition: Hope is an optimistic and positive outlook or expectation about the future. It involves a desire for something to happen or for a positive outcome, but it does not necessarily require the same level of certainty as faith.

Uncertainty: Hope acknowledges that the desired outcome may not be guaranteed or even probable. It is often characterized by a sense of possibility rather than certainty.

Dynamic and Changeable: Hope can be more dynamic and changeable compared to faith. It can fluctuate based on circumstances and new information, and it may be influenced by emotions and external factors.

General or Specific: Hope can be directed toward specific goals or outcomes, such as hoping to achieve a personal goal, or it can be a general sense of optimism about life’s possibilities.

In summary, faith is a strong and unwavering belief, often with a sense of certainty, while hope is an optimistic expectation about the future that may or may not be certain. Faith tends to be more stable and enduring, while hope can be influenced by a range of factors and is often associated with the anticipation of positive outcomes. Both faith and hope play important roles in human psychology and can provide comfort, motivation, and resilience in various aspects of life.

 

Understanding these words have helped me greatly. I realized that we can have faith in anything that is meaningful to us. I have faith the sun is going to rise and that my teen will come home every night. Hope on the other hand is a little more vague and is a general sense of positivity. Both Faith and Hope are important as you start to think about your intentions and how to move forward.

Goals and Intentions – Aren’t They the Same Thing?

One of my goals was to be the first person in my family to graduate college and I am proud to say that I accomplished that in 1989. I became a Civil Engineer and later passed my Professional Registration test. I realized that my goal was not really in alignment with my intention for my life. Isn’t that odd, that I spent 6 years striving and fighting for a degree that I was not passionate about or had a love for. Now I do believe in redemption and I have grown to love my profession and have gained respect from my peers in the field. My intention for my life has more recently become clear – To “Inspire Glorious Living” for myself and others around me. It is a little murky as to what that means, but basically, I feel driven to help you define your glorious life and help you attain it. I get excited in my soul and spirit just writing these words. Understanding the difference between goals and intentions really helped me.

Nature of Commitment:

Goals: Goals are typically specific, measurable, and time-bound objectives that you set for yourself. They often involve a clear outcome or achievement that you want to reach. Goals are specific targets that you aim to accomplish.
Intentions: Intentions are more about the underlying mindset and commitment to a certain course of action or way of being. They reflect your purpose or direction and may not always have a specific, measurable outcome associated with them.

Focus and Flexibility:

Goals: Goals tend to be more focused and specific. They provide a clear target, which can be advantageous for tracking progress and measuring success. However, this specificity can sometimes limit your flexibility in adapting to changing circumstances or opportunities.
Intentions: Intentions are broader and more flexible. They guide your overall approach to life or a particular area without specifying every detail. Intentions allow you to remain open to different paths and opportunities that may align with your overall direction.

Time Horizon:

Goals: Goals are often associated with a particular timeframe. They have a start and end date, which can create a sense of urgency and motivation to achieve them within a certain period.
Intentions: Intentions may not always be time-bound. While you can set intentions for a specific timeframe, they are often about long-term values, principles, or ongoing personal growth rather than achieving a single, time-limited objective.

Mindset vs. Achievement:

Goals: Goals are primarily concerned with achieving specific outcomes. They focus on the end result and can be seen as external markers of success.
Intentions: Intentions are more about your internal mindset and approach to life. They emphasize the way you want to live, the values you want to embody, or the habits you want to cultivate.

Example:

A goal might be: “I want to lose 10 pounds in three months.”
An intention related to that goal could be: “I intend to prioritize my health and well-being by making healthier food choices and being consistent with my exercise routine.”
In practice, goals and intentions often work together. You may set specific goals that align with your broader intentions. For instance, if your intention is to lead a healthier lifestyle, your goals might include losing weight, eating more vegetables, and exercising regularly. Your intentions provide the overarching purpose, while your goals provide the specific actions to achieve that purpose.

Don’t misunderstand me, goals are very important, if you don’t take your intentions in mind when you are setting your goals, you may end up somewhere else that you didn’t expect, kind of like me. So today let’s focus on your intentions by drawing on faith and hope, which will help you move forward towards your desired direction.

Intentions – A Path To Your Future

One way to make intention-setting an ongoing practice is to create it as a daily ritual. Whether you do it in the morning before the day gets away from you or you say it at night before going to bed, it can be a powerful tool for setting your intentions each day and attracting what you want into your life.

Set your intention for the day.

Incorporating an intention-setting ritual into your daily morning routine can be a powerful way to set the tone for the rest of your day. You can do this by reciting your intentions aloud, using a visual meditation, or simply writing them down and reflecting on them throughout the day.

When you set an intention, you create a plan for how you will live your life and what kind of person you want to be. They are powerful tools for self-care, personal growth, and success.

Unlike goals, which are more specific and have measurable outcomes, intentions are more long-term and generally involve values and core beliefs that guide your life in a larger sense. For example, an intention may be to develop a more profound sense of compassion or empathy.

It’s important to choose your intention carefully and ensure it aligns with your values. How would it help you achieve your goals?

You can begin by thinking of your most important goals for the day. These may include tasks you need to complete or relationships requiring attention. For example, if your goal is to improve your relationship with your partner, you can intend for the day to be more open and communicative with him.

Talk to yourself and listen.

Next, think about your intuition and what it tells you about how your day will go. Your intuition is often a signal from your higher self, so listening to it can help set your intention for the day.

Finally, choosing an intention that is positive and motivating is important. It should be a phrase that uplifts you and inspires you to reach your goals.

If you’re having trouble choosing an intention, you can ask yourself questions such as, “What do I need to do today to feel good?” or, “What role do I play today that will have the biggest impact on my world?”

Once you’ve chosen your intention for the day, take a few minutes to meditate. This will clear your mind and prepare you for the rest of the ritual.

Take a few minutes to meditate.

Meditation is a powerful tool for reducing stress and improving your well-being. It can be a quick and easy way to clear your head, relax, and recharge. It also helps strengthen the parts of your brain that play a role in memory, concentration, and decision-making.

The best time to meditate is first thing in the morning. You can set the alarm on your phone and sit down to focus on your breath for five minutes to start the day right.

There are many different types of meditation. Some focus on breathing techniques, while others involve walking meditation or mindfulness practices. You can also use music or aromatherapy to enhance your experience.

If you’re new to meditating, it can be helpful to begin with, five-minute sessions to build up to more extended periods. But what’s most important is your commitment to your practice, says Amy Hamilton, a meditation teacher and author of Getting Started With Meditation.

As you get more comfortable, try increasing the time you spend meditating each day and see how it affects your stress levels. It’s also important to ensure you find a quiet, distraction-free space for your meditation.

Add more and more time for Self-Care.

Whether at home or in an office setting, limiting distractions as you meditate is important. This means turning off your cell phone or putting it on silent mode. You can also choose a place that is sacred to you, such as your home or garden.

Another option is to create a ritual in which you set an intention for your life. You can do this on a specific occasion (a birthday, anniversary, or the new year) or anytime that feels right for you.

To begin creating your intention, take some time to reflect on what you want to create in your life. This will help you to formulate your intention and be more specific in what you’re trying to manifest.

Once you’ve written down your intentions, take some time to sit with them and allow them to be embodied. You can do this by focusing on your breathing or imagining it in your mind.

Say your intention aloud.

Saying your intention aloud each morning is a great way to create an intentional daily routine that aligns your heart and mind. It also helps you stay focused on your goals while the day’s chaos unfolds around you.

Use a specific phrase or word to focus on your intention as you speak it out loud. For example, if you intend to feel more connected to yourself and others, you could say: “I choose to be open, loving, and accepting of myself in every moment today.”

When you are ready, you can start meditating on your intentions and creating visualizations for how they will manifest. You can do this for a few minutes to help clear your mind and create space.

If you prefer, you can also write your intention on paper before you start the ritual. This is a great way to keep your intentions as a reminder and to be able to track them later on.

It is also a good idea to have a candle or other sacred object close by as you start the ritual to call upon the energies of the universe and the moon during the ceremony. This will ensure that your intention is fully manifested and brings forth its full potential.

Sing or Chant your intention.

Another thing you can do during the ritual is to sing, chant or speak poems and invocations that express your intentions. This can be done alone or with a group of friends and is a powerful way to raise your vibrational frequency and connect inwardly.

The energy of a circle song or chant is powerful, especially in the presence of other people, and can have a powerful impact on the atmosphere of your intention-setting ritual. You can even do an interpretive dance and sing while dancing.

Finally, it is important to thank yourself, mother earth, and the universe for the opportunity to create your intention-setting ritual. This gives you an extra dose of gratitude and can bring more power to the intention you call into your life.

Take action on your intention.

Intention setting is a powerful spiritual practice and self-care tool. It helps you reconnect to your deeper self, cultivate a sharper mindset and develop an inner voice of wisdom that is often drowned out by external noise.

Creating an intention-setting ritual can incorporate this important practice into your daily morning routine. Taking just a few minutes out of your day to set your intentions can be a great way to focus on the positive and get yourself in a better mood for the rest of the day.

The best time to do this is right before you wake up. Take a few deep breaths and meditate on what you want to create in the day. This will help you set your mindset for the entire day and start each new moment positively.

Once you’ve found an intention that feels like a match with your deeper self, write down your intentions in a special journal. You can also doodle or sketch if you’d prefer, but this is your time to write down precisely what you intend.

As you sit down and write your intentions, ask yourself if they align with your values and what you stand for. According to psychologist Laura Berg, whether you’re aiming for a goal or focusing on an intention, ensuring that it’s authentic and aligned with your values will make the difference between your intentions being successful and unsuccessful. This is where I put my goal ahead of my intention and didn’t even consider my intention.  I have been able to have a course correction and it feels great.

Create a daily ritual.

Another significant value of creating an intention setting as a daily ritual is allowing you to consciously choose to be present and connected in your life rather than being distracted by external circumstances. This will help you cultivate a more grounded and focused mindset throughout the day and improve your overall health.

You can also use an intention-setting ritual to reconnect with nature spirits and other powerful energies. Add elements such as a candle, smudge sticks, or other sacred objects, crystals, and essential oils to your ritual space to enhance its power and effect.

 

About the Author

Kathy Denise Hicks is an author, personal trainer and human, inspired to help others live a glorious life. She teaches movement, nutrition and brain health classes and advocates for zero waste and the environment. You can check out her “Daily Lift” on Face Book and try out her Goal Crusher, to help you start creating and reaching your goals.