Hello dear,
Hitting your goals for the year already? Goals give us energy to live our days with a purpose. There are traditional goal writing techniques we are used to practicing.
However, there’s something even more powerful than setting traditional goals: setting intentions that align with your core values. Unlike goals, which are specific achievements, intentions focus on how you want to feel, act, or grow as a person.
When your intentions align with your values, they become a compass for your actions and decisions, creating a more fulfilling and purpose-driven life. Here’s how to identify your core values and set meaningful intentions that truly resonate with your authentic self.
Step 1: Reflect on Your Core Values
Core values are the principles that guide your life and define what’s truly important to you. They serve as the foundation for meaningful intentions.
How to Identify Your Core Values
- List Your Priorities: Write down the aspects of life that matter most—family, health, creativity, learning, etc.
- Reflect on Peak Moments: Think about times when you felt truly alive or proud. What values were you honoring during those moments?
- Consider Challenges: Reflect on times when you felt conflicted or unsatisfied. What values were being compromised?
Try out these values exercises to find out your personal values.
Step 2: Define Your Intentions
Once you know your values, create intentions that align with them. Intentions are not about checking off boxes; they’re about living in a way that reflects your values every day.
So I recently had a chance to review mine and I realised I was out of alignment in my relationships with friends and family. I wasn’t feeling the bond that was nourishing, that aligned with my values. On further examination, I had gotten so busy that I needed to withdraw from social connection to restore my energy.
I identified that dropping some commitments will earn me more time which I could then invest in relationships. All these processes are what I mean by being intentional.
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Examples of Value-Based Intentions
● Value: Connection → “I intend to nurture my relationships by being present and actively listening.”
● Value: Health → “I intend to prioritize my physical and mental well-being by practicing daily self-care.”
● Value: Growth → “I intend to challenge myself to learn something new each month.”
● Value: Integrity → “I intend to make choices that align with my beliefs, even when it’s difficult.”
Step 3: Make Your Intentions Actionable
While intentions are about mindset and approach, they’re more impactful when paired with actionable steps.
How to Turn Intentions Into Actions
- Be Specific: Break your intentions into small, actionable steps.
○ Instead of: “I intend to be healthier.”
○ Try: “I intend to walk for 30 minutes every morning.” - Use Affirmations: Frame your intentions as positive statements to remind yourself of your goals. Put up those sticky notes asap everywhere with things that resonate with your heart.
- Track Progress: Reflect weekly or monthly on how well your actions align with your intentions.
- Stay Flexible: Life evolves, and so can your intentions. Be open to revisiting and refining them.
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Step 4: Incorporate Accountability
Accountability strengthens commitment. Share your intentions with a trusted friend, family member, or community. Journaling can also help you stay connected to your values and monitor your progress. Remember what we discussed last week about journaling with friends and family?
Step 5: Practice Self-Compassion
Living intentionally isn’t about perfection; it’s about progress. There will be days when you stray from your intentions—and that’s okay. Treat yourself with kindness and gently guide yourself back. Some of us are used to talking down on ourselves and this puts us in a paralysis rather than driving us to do better. Halt the voice in your head and change what it is saying. What you say to yourself matters, be kind to yourself.
The Benefits
● Authenticity: Living according to your values makes you feel more genuine and true to yourself. You complete tasks effortlessly and the sacrifices that come with your work are welcome, because they serve a purpose.
● Clarity: Intentions give you a clear sense of purpose and direction.
● Resilience: When faced with challenges, value-based intentions remind you of your “why.” why did you start, how did you imagine it would do, where did it go wrong?
● Fulfillment: Aligning your actions with your values creates a deeper sense of satisfaction and in the psychological hierarchy of needs it helps us move up to self actualisation.
Shareable Quotes
● “Intentions rooted in your values guide your life toward authenticity and purpose.”
● “The most meaningful resolutions are those that reflect who you truly are.”
● “You don’t need perfection to live intentionally—just a commitment to progress.”
Final Thoughts
Setting intentions that align with your values is a great way to approach the new year—or any time of life. It shifts the focus from external achievements to internal growth, helping you live a life that feels meaningful and fulfilling.
Take the time to reflect, define your values, and craft intentions that guide your journey. Remember: the key to a fulfilling life isn’t doing more—it’s doing what truly matters to you.
Until next time, stay authentic,
Stay resilient, and continue to honour your needs.
Live wholeheartedly,
Amaka
