Intentions

We all have intentions, some good some bad. The outcomes of decisions we make in life are ultimately influenced by the intentions behind them. Are we striving to have positive results? Do we want things in our lives to improve for the better? If so, how intentional are we in changing them?

This is a question that I had to ask myself. While participating in the Dale Carnegie Skills for Success class, one of the most important principles learned discouraged us from criticizing, condemning or complaining about people, places and things. As you can imagine, this sounds good in theory but I was unsure how I would implement it.

As I practiced mindfulness in my daily routine, I discovered that I complained more than I was comfortable with and tended to project passive aggressiveness when encountering challenging situations. Although I considered myself to be a nice person and had a good heart, I had room for improvement!

I began assessing external and internal triggers and became more thoughtful in my responses. Doing this helped me to have tough conversations without pointing out the negatives in others, showing them that things are fixable and enabling all involved to walk away with their reputations in tact. Moving forward, my vision is to continue these skills in all of my relationships so that I can experience mutual respect, understanding and lead an intentional life.