Intention – Ruthann M. Wilson

Be where you are

In addition to being a writer/author, I’ve had a long and fruitful career in corporate America. I had an opportunity to speak with a group of graduating students about my work and experience growing a career in a corporate setting. The students were a part of intensive training program that provided them with technical and professional skills. I love new beginnings and the energy of new graduates about to embark on their careers. I recall graduating from college and being excited about my first job post graduation. I had a very supportive supervisor and transition into my career.

One of the six career lessons that I shared with the graduates is to be where you are. The lesson was shared through a corporate lens; however, it’s also a powerful life lesson.

My message as it relates to being where you are in a corporate setting is to know what is expected of you, do your job really well, and be open to new assignments/opportunities that can help you stretch and grow into the next role. Oftentimes, when people are early in a career, the goal is get to the next level quickly. The focus often becomes getting promoted/getting to the next level instead of learning, growing, excelling, and enjoying their current role. Moving too quickly can be problematic when an employee is promoted and not prepared for their next role. I encouraged them to be fully present and embrace the journey of growing into their next role.

The bigger life lesson is to live in the here and now; not in the past or in the future, but where you are right now. You can make the most of where you are by cultivating habits and practices that enable you stay grounded and present in your life. A few things to consider:

Give thanks for your life, even if it’s not exactly as you wish it to be
Reduce multi-tasking and focus on doing one thing at a time
Give other people the gift of your full attention
Spend time in nature and literally put your feet on the ground
Be intentional with your time on social media
Breathe deeply
Meditate

Being where you are is about making the most of where you are right now. It has a way of opening doors and drawing people and opportunities to you in your personal and professional life.

I would be remiss if I did not state that I am not suggesting that you make the most of an abusive, dangerous, or life-threatening situation. Please seek assistance if that is the case.

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All the best,

Ruthann

The Power of Affirmations (Video)

Affirm what you want to create in your life.

In this video, I share how affirmations can help you stay focused on what you want to create in your life.

Link highlighted in the video https://ruthannwilson.com/affirmations/

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All the best,

Ruthann

Create Your Ideal Day

Sunflower

If you look up the word ideal in the dictionary, you will see synonyms like perfect, flawless, seamless, and impeccable. For most of us, these are words that make an ideal anything seem unattainable. So, you may be wondering why I am encouraging you to create something that is seemingly unattainable. There is a method to my ‘madness’.

The process of creating your ideal day taps into your imagination and opens you to possibility. When you compare your ideal day to your current reality, you are able to see where changes are needed to make reality more like the ideal. It gives you something to aspire to each day.

This week, I invite you to spend some time creating your ideal day. Compare your ideal day to your typical day. Identify 3-5 things that you would like to change and create a plan of action. Small changes on a daily basis can have a big effect.

Consider creating a vision board/visual representation of your ideal day. It is a powerful tool for staying focused and bringing your vision to life through the use of words, images, and symbols. The key is to include words, images, and symbols that are meaningful to you. Keep your board in a place where you will see it on a daily basis. It will serve as a reminder of how you would like to live your life on a daily basis.

What you will need:

Your goals/desired outcomes for your day
Poster board, cork board, or large piece of paper
Glue, tape, push pins (depending on the type of board you are using)
Words, images, and symbols that you cut out of magazines and/or download from the internet
Colored pens and/or markers for handwritten words and/or images
Scissors

There is no right or wrong way to create your board. It is a creative process that produces a visual representation of what you desire for your day/life. Need some inspiration? This link will take you to Google images for vision boards.

Living your life one day at a time will help you stay grounded and present to your life.

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All the best,

Ruthann

Be Prepared to Receive

“Ask for what you want and be prepared to get it.”
—Maya Angelou

I love this quote by Maya Angelou. It is a great reminder that we should not only ask for what we want, but believe so strongly that it will happen that we prepare to receive it. The degree to which we prepare for something to happen is indicative our belief and trust that it will actually happen.

Making requests/asking for things is a part of our everyday lives. We ask for information, directions, meetings, assistance, etc., on a regular basis without much thought or risk. There are times, however, when we need or want something that is beyond what we can see or control. It is during these times that we often go to a deeper place of asking/requesting through prayer. When we pray and prepare to receive, we create conditions for what might seem like magic to happen in our lives.

This week, I invite you to think about the requests/prayers that you have for your life. Are you clear in what you are asking? Do you trust that what you are asking will actually happen? Are you preparing/taking action in anticipation of it happening? Are you open to more than one outcome?

Ask for what you want and be prepared for it or something better to happen.

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All the best,

Ruthann

Awaken to Possibility

“Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.” Carl Jung

Awaken to possibility.

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All the best,

Ruthann

Pray & Take Action

When you pray, move your feet.

—African Proverb

When we pray with a goal in mind, we are engaging the power of intention in the context of all things being divinely possible.

The word intention comes from the Latin word intendere which means to “stretch out”, “to extend”. Intention inspires vision and guides action.

If you believe your prayers reflect what is best for your life, affirm your beliefs by living your prayers. For example, if you are praying for peace, envision what peace would look like in your life and commit to thinking peaceful thoughts, speaking peaceful words, and creating a peaceful environment. If you are praying for a new job/career opportunity, envision your new job/career and support your prayer with actions like updating your resume, creating a list of companies to send your resume, networking, and so on.

Prayer that is outcome focused and not supported with action is empty prayer. It is important that we pray and take action.

Engage the power of the written word to help you manifest what you desire. Create a plan of action that will enable you to move from where you are to where you would like to be. Consider using images and/or symbols as visual reminders (vision board) of your desired outcome.

Work toward your goal, but don’t be attached to a particular outcome. Being attached to a specific outcome can get in the way of you receiving an even bigger blessing than the one you had in mind.

The essence of prayer is faith in a divine presence working in and through our lives. As such, stay open to guidance and trust that you are being guided to your highest good.

Question for reflection

What is one thing you can do this week to move your life in the direction of your prayers?

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All the best,

Ruthann

Create a Vision Board

A vision board is a visual representation of your desired outcomes. It is a powerful tool for staying focused and bringing your goals to life through the use of words, images, and symbols.

Your vision board can represent what you desire for your life overall, be specific to a life area (e.g., health and fitness, career, relationships, etc.) or a quality that you would like to magnify in your life (e.g., peace, love, joy, etc.). The key is to include words, images, and symbols that are meaningful to you. Keep your board where you can see it on a daily basis. It will serve as a visual reminder of what you would like to manifest in your life.

In my post, Be Intentional, I encouraged you to spend some time thinking about and visualizing where you would like to be in the next three months. I invite you to create a vision board that represents what you visualized for your life three months from now or whatever time frame works best for you.

What you will need:

Your goals/desired outcomes (click here to read about SMART goals)
Poster board, cork board, or large piece of paper
Glue, tape, push pins (depending on the type of board you are using)
Words, images, and symbols that you cut out of magazines and/or download from the internet
Colored pens and/or markers for handwritten words and/or images
Scissors

There is no right or wrong way to create your board. It is a creative process that produces a visual representation of what you would like to manifest in your life. Have fun and enjoy the process! Search the internet to see examples of vision boards (also known as treasure maps). The link below will take you to Google images for vision boards.

Google images for vision boards

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All the best,

Ruthann

Be Intentional

PowerPoint Presentation

*Downloadable worksheet at the end of the post.

The word intention comes from the Latin word intendere, which means to “stretch out”, “to extend”. Intention inspires vision and guides action.

To be intentional is to be willing to stretch yourself and grow. It is a process of stepping into your power, clarifying your vision, and consistently moving forward on your path. Do you know where you would like to be in the next three months? Six months? One year? Here is a quick way to get started.

Spend some time this week thinking about and visualizing where you would like to be in the next three months (or whatever time frame works best for you). Get clear as to what you would like to change, why you would like to make a change, and how you plan to make it happen.

I invite you to create a powerful intention to pull you forward. State what you intend to accomplish within a specific time frame.

I intend to _____________________________

Based on this intention, I commit to taking the following actions:

1. ___________________________________

2. ___________________________________

3. ___________________________________

If there is a gap between your intention and action, see it as an opportunity for personal growth rather than a personal failing; recommit to your intention and begin again. Consider using images and/or symbols as a visual reminder of your desired outcome.

*Downloadable worksheet: Be Intentional

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All the best,

Ruthann