Posted by Laura Shaw Allen on 13th Oct 2025
Preparing with Intention: Designing the Next Chapter of Your Life
We often dream of a “fresh start,” a new year, a new season, or a new opportunity. But the truth is, fresh starts don’t come from the calendar. They come from clarity. And clarity comes from intention.
Intention is more than wishful thinking. It’s the quiet power that shapes your decisions, actions, and results. When you prepare with intention, you stop drifting and start directing. You begin building the life you want, not the one you stumble into.
Today, we’ll explore why intention is the foundation of preparation, and I’ll share three practical ways you can set intentions that not only inspire you but also guide your daily life.
Why Intention Is the Foundation of Preparation
When you act without intention, you’re busy but not purposeful. When you set an intention, every action has direction.
- It creates alignment. Your thoughts, feelings, and actions all point toward the same destination.
- It simplifies decisions. Intention acts like a compass, so you don’t waste energy on distractions.
- It increases follow-through. When your why is clear, your actions feel meaningful instead of forced.
3 Ways to Prepare with Intention
1. Write a Daily One-Sentence Intention
Each morning, write down a single sentence to guide your day. Examples:
- “Today I will move through challenges with patience.”
- “Today I focus on finishing what I start.”
- “Today I choose gratitude in the small moments.”
This one line can reframe your choices and serve as a simple mental reset when distractions appear.
2. Visualize the Outcome You Want
Visualization makes intention tangible. Each day, pause and imagine yourself already living your intention.
- If your intention is patience, picture yourself calmly handling a stressful moment.
- If your intention is consistency, imagine yourself finishing the task and feeling proud.
When your brain sees the outcome, it begins preparing your body and emotions to follow through.
3. Anchor Your Intention With Action
An intention becomes powerful when it’s paired with a small, visible action.
- Intention: “Today I will prioritize self-care.”
Action: Drink one full glass of water before coffee. - Intention: “Today I will focus on connection.”
Action: Send one thoughtful text to a friend.
Anchors make your intentions practical, not abstract.
3 Reflection Exercises to Clarify Your Intentions
Exercise 1: The “Future You” Letter
Write a short note from the perspective of yourself three months in the future. What do you thank your present self for doing? This reveals the intentions that matter most right now.
Exercise 2: The Energy Audit
At the end of the day, list three things that energized you and three things that drained you. Your true intentions often lie in creating more of what energizes you and less of what depletes you.
Exercise 3: The One-Word Focus
Pick one word that describes how you want to show up this week (e.g., calm, bold, grateful). Use it as a filter for your daily choices.
Put It On Repeat
Preparation through intention becomes effortless when you make it a daily rhythm:
- Morning: Write your one-sentence intention.
- Daytime: Anchor it with one small action.
- Evening: Reflect: Did your intention show up in your choices?
Positivity Keys Exclusive Affirmation
Repeat it as you set your daily intention, or write it at the top of your planner page.
Your 7-Day Intention Challenge
- Write one daily intention.
- Pair it with one small action.
- Reflect in the evening: “How did my intention guide my choices today?”
Next Step: From Daily Intentions to a Life of Alignment
Daily intentions are powerful, but imagine stacking them over weeks, months, and seasons. That’s how small seeds turn into lasting transformation.
Inside the Elevate Your Life 9-Week Program, we take the practice of intention beyond the day-to-day. You’ll discover:
- How to design a personal roadmap based on your deepest values
- The tools to keep your vision alive when life gets noisy
- Guided exercises to align your intentions with consistent action
