Intentionality, Not Always a Slam Dunk!

Image via WikipediaA dear friend and I started  playing tennis again.  Well, not actually playing, mostly just hitting back and forth.  We both found competitive tennis extremely stressful in our youth but now find the mantra-like sound of hitting from one baseline to the next, very soothing.

During one of these healing sessions, we decided to become more intentional about the next phase in our lives.  Both facing lots of transition in our family lives, we decided to focus on our work instead.  We decided to be specific with the universe about where we saw our work lives heading in the next couple months.  We witnessed each others intentions and continued to play, hoping for the best.

Fast forward, two weeks.  My friend landed the job of her dreams and I ended up breaking my ankle!   My friend’s new job would be walking distance from her home, cutting her previous commute  from 45 min. each way to almost nothing, not only saving her money on gas but significantly limiting her miles on her newly leased car.  I, on the other hand, was put in a cast for 4 weeks and told I couldn’t drive for at least 7 weeks!

So what does this all mean?  I don’t know but what I do know is that intentionality is not necessarily congruent to wishful thinking.  Being intentional about something is basically letting the universe know of your desires but how you are guided to those desires may be a completely different story. 

For my friend, her desire seemed to be in complete alignment with her wishes.  For me, however, a detour was necessary in getting in touch with that desire.  The detour being, a long immobilization that kept me from doing much of anything.  Nothing, except reflecting and listening that is.  Reflecting upon some old wounds that were still standing in my way of  reaching my dreams.  Listening to the pain and acknowledging its continued grip on my life.  And finally, taking the time that was necessary to release and heal that pain.

So if intentionality is something you want to experiment with, be sure you are ready for some surprises along the way.  You might get a slam dunk on the first try or find you have some obstacles to overcome.  Whatever you decide to put out into the universe, however, know that if it’s truly your heart’s desire, it will come to you one way or another!