7 Phrases for Healthy Goal Setting

I exist

I long

I hope

I trust

I release

I love

I am prepared

These 7 simple phrases might change your goals, your outlook, and maybe even your journey. I was recently introduced to the Latifah prayer in meditation class with my favorite teacher Joy Solomon. (Side note - Joy's classes have been instrumental in the way incorporate mindfulness and meditation into my daily life! If you have a chance to visit her at Hastings Yoga you won't regret it. :) So, this particular night the Latifiah meditation stuck with me... Joy says, "I like this "prayer" because if you really practice each step and allow yourself to deepen into what it's offering, you can experience a concrete sense of changing and growing. For me, it starts so deep and expands out and and at the same time it comes from an expansive thought that granulates down into a concentrated intention. It's simple, yet so powerful."

Yes! Powerful indeed! And as I practiced the the phrases myself, I realized what I truly yearn for. Surprisingly, the things I have been striving for...more money, the perfect body, and the ability to be the perfect mother...did not come up. What DID come up was desire for internal peace and contentment. I don't want to spend my time on this earth feeling stressed, anxious, and frustrated! I also realized that certain self-imposed obstacles like anger, self doubt, resentment, and FEAR have been holding me back. Through the Latifah meditation, my the path seemed to open up a bit. I felt certain that I could move forward with trust and self love. Peace and contentment seemed obtainable (at least some of the time).

And I thought, "This could be SO helpful to many of my clients in terms of healthy goal setting!"

Too often we are busy, our minds are jumbled, and when it comes setting intentions we end up simply throwing stuff against the wall to see what sticks. Sometimes we need to release the self doubt and confusion. We need to dive deep and be open to what comes up. Only then can we paint a clearer picture of what we really want. So, we can be talking about internal goals like peace and contentment or external goals like weight loss and strength, but it doesn't really matter. You have to be open to WHAT IS because sometimes the thing you thought you were chasing changes shape.

Want to try?

Begin as you would any meditation practice. Come to a comfortable seat. Do a body scan to make sure you are not holding any excess tension. Take some deep breathes. In the order below hold each of the ideas/phrases in your mind. Linger on each phrase for a stretch of time and simply notice what comes up. Do not struggle, resist, or judge. Simply observe the thoughts or feelings that arise. Hold them for a few moments in your heart before moving to the next phrase.