Intention Part II

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over with the hope of yielding a different result. I had started to realize that I was caught in cycles of offering the same advice to people for their same problems. Listen: I thank everything that is holy every time I remember that the reason I was repeatedly being led down the same path of confusion was not on me, but it was due to the leader being lost. Now, I make myself pause, breathe, and do that mental temperature check. I make sure that I identify the problem and the best way to resolve it and quickly. If I have to write down the issue so that I can see it again when it occurs, then so be it. The trick is to not repeat the same mistakes. Sometimes that means to stop engaging with the same people (regardless of who they are in your life) and/or stop going to the same places. Breaking negative cycles is how people evolve. You remove the things that no longer serve you in a positive way. The plan is to grow, breathe, exist in a space that is nurturing and find others who want the same for themselves, for you, and who are willing to challenge you enough so that you can grow together. Iron sharpens iron.

How do I center myself when everything around me is intent on being chaotic? I have decided to normalize intention, too, but on being at peace, being aware, being present, and being love. Here are some examples:

• I recite phrases that invite stillness. One of them is: I can handle this, by not handling it. This charges me to remove the flow of energy from a situation or person who is purposely siphoning off mine. You do know that there are some people who are just walking black holes, sucking the life out of everyone and everything, right? Just eating and eating with no bottom, having an insatiable appetite. I know it takes time to learn, but you have to get to a place where you realize your worth and know that sometimes you really will never be enough for some people, and that’s perfectly fine. Everything ain’t for everybody, and I can assure you that with as much patience and love as I have, I certainly do not have enough of them to waste on anyone who can’t be satisfied. Some folks are just greedy, Lord, and tiresome! ‘Bout wear me out.

  
  

• There is definitely something to be said for grounding as a tool to center stillness. I look at my posture in relation to the earth or ground. Sometimes I kneel or squat, but I make an effort to duck down away from the hovering, busy airwaves. I often do yoga poses that get me as close to the floor as possible. I feel the coolness and breathe in and out slowly before standing again.

  
  

• I reduce the noise. Whether it is the television or the music, sometimes I can’t tolerate what I’m hearing. With TV, I definitely consume a lot less news than I used to. I just can’t take the bad PR. With music, it’s likely that I need something softer versus the upbeat song playing at the time. While I LOVE a good beat, sometimes I have to quiet my spirit. Sometimes the noise is coming from a chaotic person. When that happens, I find a reason to reduce that noise: suddenly, I have to go arrange a meeting, plan a party, run a marathon. Anything to remove myself from that space, I will do it.

While I cannot guarantee that these will work for everyone, they are working for me. I hope you find what works for you. Remember the key is to do things with intention.

This piece first appeared in Substack - Say, Say, Say...