Setting Intentions: Examples and How To Do It

Have you ever declared a big New Year’s resolution on January 1 and quietly pretended it never happened by February?
Same. That’s one reason more therapists, coaches, and mindfulness teachers are talking less about
goals and more about setting intentions.

Intentions don’t ask you to overhaul your life overnight. Instead, they help you decide
how you want to show up today, in this meeting, in this conversation, or in this season of life.
Think of them as a compass, not a to-do list.

What Does It Mean to Set an Intention?

An intention is a clear statement about how you want to be, feel, or act in the present moment.
It’s about your inner state, not a specific outcome. For example:

Goal: “Run a 10K in under 60 minutes.”
Intention: “I intend to treat my body with respect and move it regularly.”

The goal is measurable and future-focused. The intention is about the energy and attitude you choose
right now, whether you’re lacing up your shoes or stuck in traffic.

Intentions vs. Goals: What’s the Difference?

Many mental health and wellness experts describe the difference this way:
goals are about what you want to achieve, while
intentions are about how you want to live. Goals focus on external results
(a promotion, a savings target, a finished project); intentions focus on internal alignment
(being kind, focused, courageous, or present).

You can absolutely have both. An intention can support a goal:

Goal: “Apply to three new jobs this month.”
Intention: “I intend to advocate for myself and believe I deserve meaningful work.”

Why Setting Intentions Matters

“Setting intentions” isn’t just self-help wallpaper; it has real psychological and practical benefits.
Research on self-regulation and “implementation intentions” shows that when people plan how they want to
act in specific situations, they’re more likely to follow through on their goals, with a medium-to-large overall
effect on success.

1. Intentions Help You Live Your Values

Intentions ask, “How do I want to show up, based on what I care about?” Health systems and therapists often
recommend intention setting as a way to connect everyday choices to your deeper valueslike integrity,
compassion, or growth. This alignment reduces the uncomfortable gap between “what I say I care about” and
“what I actually do.”

2. They Support Mental and Emotional Well-Being

Daily intention setting has been linked with better self-control, less anxiety, and more positive emotion,
in part because it encourages mindful, present-moment awareness rather than rumination about the past or worry
about the future.

For example, starting the day with “I intend to respond instead of react” can set a calmer tone for tough
conversations, annoying emails, or heavy traffic.

3. Intentions Make Change More Compassionate

Intentions are less “Do this or you failed” and more “This is how I’m practicing today.” That softer,
more compassionate posture makes it easier to keep going after a rough day. You can reset an intention
at lunch, mid-meeting, or before bedno need to wait until next Monday or next January.

How To Set Intentions: A Step-by-Step Guide

You don’t need candles, crystals, or a three-day retreat to set intentions (unless you want themthen go for it).
Here’s a practical, research-informed way to do it.

Step 1: Pause and Check In with Yourself

Take one to three minutes to get quiet. Put your phone face-down. Take a few slow breaths. Notice:

How does my body feeltense, tired, energized?
What’s on my mind right now?
What do I need more of todaypatience, focus, kindness, rest?

This micro-pause activates self-awareness, which psychologists describe as a key starting point for
meaningful change.

Step 2: Remember Your Values

Ask yourself: “Who am I trying to be in this season of my life?” Maybe you’re focusing on:

Health: respecting your body, not punishing it
Relationships: being present, curious, and kind
Career: showing courage, learning, and clear communication
Finances: practicing responsibility and gratitude

Intentions work best when they flow directly from these values rather than random trends or someone else’s priorities.

Step 3: Choose a Focus Area

To keep things realistic, pick one main area for your intention:

Today’s mood or energy (calm, hopeful, focused)
How you want to treat your body
How you want to interact with others
How you want to approach your work or studies

Step 4: Phrase Your Intention in the Present Tense

Many mindfulness and wellness teachers suggest wording intentions in the present tense and focusing on what
you do want, not what you don’t want.

For example:

Instead of: “I don’t want to be so stressed today.”
Try: “I intend to create small pockets of calm throughout my day.”

Keep it short, positive, and believable. You’re creating a guiding sentence, not a legal contract.

Step 5: Use “If–Then” Plans to Make It Concrete

This is where the science of implementation intentions comes in. Psychologist Peter Gollwitzer
and others have shown that “if–then” plans like “If situation X happens, then I will do Y” significantly
improve follow-through on goals and habits.

Pair your intention with one or two if–then plans:

Intention: “I intend to respond rather than react in tough conversations.”
If–then: “If I feel myself getting heated, then I will pause and take three slow breaths before replying.”
Intention: “I intend to treat my body with kindness.”
If–then: “If the afternoon slump hits, then I’ll walk around the block instead of scrolling on my phone.”

Step 6: Write It Down (Somewhere You’ll Actually See It)

Journaling and simple written prompts have been shown to reinforce intention setting and mindfulness.
Try:

A sticky note on your laptop: “Today I intend to listen more than I talk.”
A note in your phone’s lock screen.
A line in your planner or habit-tracking app.

Step 7: Revisit and Adjust

At the end of the day or week, check in:

Did this intention help me show up the way I wanted?
Where did it feel natural, and where did it feel forced?
Do I want to keep this intention, tweak it, or choose a new one?

Intentions are tools, not tattoos. You’re allowed to rewrite them as your life changes.

Examples of Intentions You Can Borrow

Need a little inspiration to get started? Here are some intention examples, adapted from mental health and
wellness resources and commonly used in therapy settings.

Daily Morning Intentions

“Today, I intend to be kind to myself, especially when I make mistakes.”
“I intend to notice small moments of joy, even on a busy day.”
“I intend to move through my schedule with calm focus.”

Work and Productivity Intentions

“I intend to give my full attention to one task at a time.”
“I intend to communicate clearly and respectfully, even when I disagree.”
“I intend to take short breaks so I can work more sustainably.”

Relationship and Communication Intentions

“I intend to listen to understand, not just to reply.”
“I intend to assume good intentions in others whenever possible.”
“I intend to express appreciation out loud instead of keeping it in my head.”

Health and Self-Care Intentions

“I intend to nourish my body with food that supports my energy.”
“I intend to move my body in ways that feel good, not punishing.”
“I intend to create small rituals of rest, even on busy days.”

Money and Life Direction Intentions

“I intend to make financial decisions from a place of clarity, not fear.”
“I intend to be grateful for what I have while working toward what I want.”
“I intend to prioritize long-term peace over short-term impulse buys.”

Common Mistakes When Setting Intentions (and How to Fix Them)

Mistake 1: Turning Intentions into Disguised Goals

“I intend to lose 10 pounds” is really just a goal in a fake mustache. Shift from outcome to how you want to feel
and act: “I intend to care for my body and choose movement and food that support my health.”

Mistake 2: Making Them Vague and Forgettable

“Be better” is not going to change your Tuesday. Anchor your intention to a specific behavior or context:
“I intend to pause before answering emails that trigger me” or “I intend to be fully present at dinner.”

Mistake 3: Using Intentions to Beat Yourself Up

If you notice self-talk like “I’m terrible at this; I can’t even stick to my intentions,” that’s your cue to add a
new intention: “I intend to speak to myself the way I would speak to a friend.”

Turning Intentions into Daily Habits

Intentions are most powerful when they’re woven into everyday routines instead of reserved for big life moments.
Here are a few simple ways to make them part of your life.

Use Mini Rituals Throughout the Day

Morning: Before looking at your phone, state one intention out loud.
Transitions: Before a meeting, class, or commute, pause and reset: “How do I want to show up next?”
Evening: Reflect on where your intention showed up, even in tiny ways.

Pair Intentions with Mindfulness Practices

Meditation, breathwork, and journaling are frequently recommended as daily intention-setting tools.
Even five minutes of quiet reflection can help you reconnect with your chosen direction and values.

Stack Intentions onto Existing Habits

Habit experts often suggest “habit stacking”: attaching a new behavior to something you already do.
You can do the same with intentions:

“After I pour my morning coffee, I’ll repeat my intention for the day.”
“When I sit down at my desk, I’ll read the intention on the sticky note by my monitor.”
“When I get into bed, I’ll name one moment when I lived my intention today.”

Experience: What Living with Intentions Actually Feels Like

It’s one thing to read about intention setting and another thing to feel it in real life.
Imagine a week in which you decide to experiment with one simple intention:
“I intend to be gently present with whatever is in front of me.”

Monday morning: Your alarm goes off, and your first impulse is to scroll through the news and
your messages. Then you remember your intention. You put the phone down, feel your feet on the floor, and take
three slow breaths. For 30 seconds, you’re just present with waking up instead of diving into everyone else’s
urgency. Nothing dramatic happensbut your nervous system gets a slightly softer start.

Later that day: At work, a teammate sends a message that lands wrong. Old you might have fired off a
snarky reply. Intention-experiment you notices the spike of irritation, remembers “gently present,” and pauses.
You ask a clarifying question instead: “Hey, I might be misreading thiscan you tell me more about what you meant?”
The conversation shifts from defensive to collaborative. Your intention didn’t magically fix the situation, but it nudged
you toward a different kind of response.

Tuesday afternoon: You hit the energy wall. Normally you’d power through with caffeine and resentment.
You check in with your intention and realize “gently present” includes being honest about your limits.
You step outside for a five-minute walk, paying attention to the air on your skin, the sounds of traffic, the feeling of your feet
on the ground. When you go back inside, you’re not a brand-new person, but you’re a little more grounded and capable of focusing.

Wednesday evening: A friend calls and launches into a story you’ve heard three times.
Your attention wants to drift to your to-do list. Remembering your intention, you invite yourself back to the moment:
the sound of their voice, the emotion behind their words. You ask one curious question instead of giving quick advice.
They feel heard; you feel more connected.

By Friday: You haven’t “nailed” your intention every moment (spoiler: no one does), but you’ve noticed something important.
Intention setting did not turn you into a perfect robot of calm productivity. Instead, it gave you a gentle framework to return to
when you driftedlike a GPS quietly saying, “Recalculating” instead of “You’re a disaster.”

Over time, this kind of gentle, repeated practice can shift your default patterns. You may find yourself pausing more often,
choosing words more carefully, noticing when your body needs a break, or reaching for compassion instead of automatic criticism.
The magic isn’t in one dramatic transformation; it’s in thousands of tiny, intention-guided choices that add up.

Conclusion: Start Small, Intend Big

Setting intentions is not about becoming the most optimized version of yourself. It’s about choosing, moment by moment,
how you want to move through your lifehow you speak, how you listen, how you work, how you rest, and how you treat yourself
and others along the way.

You don’t need the “perfect” intention to start. Choose one simple, honest sentence that reflects your values today.
Write it down, pair it with a couple of if–then plans, and let it quietly shape your choices. When it stops serving you,
let it evolve. Intentions aren’t rigid rules; they’re living agreements with yourself.

The next time you’re tempted to overhaul your entire life by Monday, try this instead: pause, take a breath,
and ask, “How do I intend to show up for this one next step?” Then let that intention lead the way.