Setting an Intention for the Next Day

A sankalpa, or intention, is a set of words one says to one’s self before bed to feel happier the next day. Two months ago, I learned about sankalpas from Elephant Journal’s article Do These Five Things Before Bed and Wake UpHappier. According to the article, “It is suggested that you decide on only one sankalpa, and that it be quite short and phrased in a positive and not negative way. It should also be phrased to indicate that success has already been achieved. So we should try to get at the root of our deepest desires and goals, rather than focus on more superficial ones.”

                As I did this practice, eleven times over the next three weeks, I mixed it with the practice of giving thanks that the article mentioned. I also helped give myself support in finding a girlfriend, keeping up with my school work, making money, learning to be independent, and starting an autistic student group at my college, while with each night, working more to get in touch with my Buddhist values. Over the next three weeks, I said these eleven sankalpas.

November 17, 2014

May I continue forward with my life,

doing what needs to be done,

while enjoying the company of those around me,

and doing the things I enjoy.

November 18, 2014

I have continued to get a lot of work done,

while enjoying those around me and the time I have free.

I have figured out much about how to go about my pursuits,

learned more about questions probing my mind,

given care to those around me,

and put stressful tasks to do from my mind.

May I continue to go forward with the same wisdom, compassion, patience, and equanimity in my life.

November 26, 2014

I have continued to get more of my work done,

while still enjoying those around me,

and the time I have to myself,

and pursuing goals to help others.

I plan to go forward

with the same wisdom and compassion

for my education, personal life, social life, career, and community work.

November 27, 2014

I continue to get more work done,

while still enjoying those around me,

and my time to myself.

I find enjoyment in my local resources,

continue to better understand people the way they are,

and move closer to my goals for the good of others.

I plan to go forward with the same wisdom, compassion, inspiration, dedication, and discipline

for the good of my education, social life, personal life, career, community work, and spirituality,

so I may continue to find beauty in the things around me,

enjoy the full potential of the relationships I have,

and guide people through a world full of uncertainty and violence.

November 28, 2014

I give thanks for today’s bounty of family, productivity, creativity, and the ability to help others.

I continue to get more of the work I have set for myself done,

continue to find ways to build my future,

continue to be more creative in helping others,

continue to enjoy the world around me,

continue to enjoy the people I love,

better see people for who they are,

and give guidance to those around me.

I plan to keep finishing the work I have set for myself,

keep building my future,

and keep enjoying the environment around me of art, literature, nature, friendship, and love

with wisdom, compassion, present awareness, dedication, discipline, and openness.

November 29, 2014

I give thanks for today’s bounty for opportunities for productivity, outspokenness, creativity, and community.

I continue to see opportunities to do the work I have set for myself,

build more resources for my future,

speak up for other people,

find ways to better connect with the people I love,

remember every part of my life,

to give myself pleasure throughout the day,

complete the little tasks that make my life easier,

and see how the practices I have set for myself are creating the life I have today.

I plan to continue to complete the work I have set for myself,

to seek the places that give me fulfillment,

to appreciate the people and the world around me,

to do the little tasks that make my life easier,

to perfect the skills I need to build in my life,

and to take care of each thing as it comes into my life

with wisdom, compassion, present awareness, discipline, dedication, and openness.

November 30, 2014

I give thanks for today’s bounty of learning, productivity, helping others, creativity, and love.

I continue to be able to learn the things that make my life easier,

I continue to be able to do the things that make my life less difficult,

I continue to be able to do the things that make my life more enjoyable,

I continue to be able to do those things.

I continue to be able to learn to make other’s lives less difficult and more enjoyable.

I plan to go forward, finishing the work I have set for myself,

while enjoying the comforts of leisure, friendship, and love,

and bringing comfort to those in need

with wisdom, compassion, clarity, dedication, discipline, present awareness, and openness.

December 1, 2014

I give thanks for today’s opportunities for forebearance, helping others, creativity, and love,

for though I sometimes cannot find what I wish I had,

and though the things I depend on can be attacked,

and though people I’ve depended on fail to comfort me,

I have friends,

I have creativity to change my world,

I am able to change people’s minds with my words,

and bring comfort into the lives of others.

I plan to go forward finishing the work I have set for myself,

looking where I may find what I am searching for,

dealing with disappointment as I may,

and appreciating the love, friendship, and inspiration around me

with wisdom, compassion, clarity, present awareness, dedication, discipline, and openness.

December 3, 2014

I give thanks for today’s bounty of love friendship, productivity, creativity, and love.

I am able to find opportunities to finish the work I have set for myself,

keep my mind open to the possibilities of love ahead.

I know even though love is confusing,

we can always find ways to connect to people if we keep our minds open.

I plan to go forward finishing the work I have set for myself,

and realizing all I have to give to other people,

while enjoying the environment and company around me

with wisdom, compassion, innocence, dedication, discipline, present awareness, openness, an love.

December 5, 2014

I give thanks for today’s bounty of love, friendship, self-realization, productivity, and creativity.

I continue to be able to tackle to problems that get in my way,

while continuing to see who people are to me and what they mean to me,

and I continue to be able to give guidance to those around me.

I plan to go forward

and be able to relax and enjoy myself

with wisdom, compassion, innocence, openness, discipline, dedication, present awareness, and love.

December 6, 2014

I give thanks for today’s bounty of creativity and friendship.

I continue to be able to surround myself with the things I enjoy,

while being able to be productive and enjoy the people around me.

I plan to go forward and enjoy myself

with wisdom, compassion, innocence, openness, discipline, dedication, present awareness, and love.