Kc Rossi (00:00:02) - Welcome to Heart Glow CEO™, where high achievers evolve into purpose-driven powerhouses. I'm Kc Rossi, your Integrative Leadership Coach. Join us to break free from people-pleasing and burnout. Exploring mindset, embodiment, and soul alignment. Discover expert insights, success stories, and actionable tips for holistic wealth on your terms. This is where transformation meets the modern female leader. Let's go!
Welcome back to another episode where we explore ways to uplevel ourselves and our leadership.
Intention has been on my mind lately. Perhaps it's the rejuvenation of spring, symbolized by the emergence of tiny sprouts breaking through the soil towards the light. Even right now, at this very moment, I have my window open, the sun is shining and the sounds of the birds are chirping. Have you ever felt a similar stirring within yourself? A sense of heaviness lifting akin to the awakening of nature around you? Sometimes I think that heaviness is seasonal. I live in upstate New York, in an area not far from Buffalo, one of the cloud cities in the country.
Kc Rossi (00:01:21) - So after months of not feeling the warmth and experiencing brightness, emotions can easily mirror the gloominess outside. Make sense?
Consider the metaphor of a seed's journey. Despite its initial darkness and dormancy, where it was no doubt cold and in the dark unknown, it eventually breaks through the soil, fueled by an innate intention to thrive. Similarly, our journeys often entail periods of solitude and darkness necessary for growth and transformation.
Yesterday, I listened to an interview where a healer was talking about our shadow sides and how there is power in our pain. This dovetails in when I think of thriving. For a long time, I turned things around too quickly, lightning fast... to look for the silver lining, the lesson, the positive mindset of it all. Now I'm seeing the beauty in the depth, which oftentimes is a path of solitude. Thankfully, we do emerge with tenacity and intention. Our circumstances change and we are lifted up and out of what felt like a death and can experience a new life with freshness, breath, and the warmth of the sun.
Kc Rossi (00:02:47) - I don't know about you, but I love to dissect language, ponder, reflect, and return with a greater sense.
The standard definition of intention is an aim or a plan. Intentional? Is something done on purpose or deliberately? The medicinal definition of intention is the healing process of a wound. I want you to think about all of that for a moment. I'm actually going to say it again. So what we most commonly think of when we hear the word intention is kind of like a plan or a goal or to be mindful of something. I think that's generally what we think of when we think about intention. Intentional is really doing something on purpose. So we're thoughtful about it. We're deliberate. But the piece that really got me was the medicinal definition of intention, "the healing process of a wound."
Just in the three lines of intentions definition lies your roadmap to success.
Step one: Have a plan.
Step two. Act with purpose.
Step three embrace the healing process.
Pretty cool, isn't it? You know, I like to give invitations.
Kc Rossi (00:04:11) - So you have inspired action. You actually have this opportunity to engage your thoughts and journal and reflect. So it has more meaning so you can actually personalize it. If you're in a spot where you can pause after these couple of questions, awesome. If not, definitely circle back to really dive in and see what comes up with these couple of questions for you.
In what area of your life can you implement this three-step process to see results (that's have a plan, act with purpose, and embrace the healing process.)
And now that you're aware, where can you craft an action plan and accept the healing process of the journey? (Because that part's often left out.)
Where can you act more deliberately, and where can you align your big purpose with your actions? And maybe it's been a while and your big purpose is faded, or got dusty, or you just plain forgot about it and all is welcome. Maybe that's something that you want to revisit or craft for the very first time. Like your big why?
And then the other thing is, how can you honor what needs to be healed to cross the finish line of your hopes and dreams? Because I think oftentimes we forget about that healing piece.
Kc Rossi (00:05:43) - We're just so into the linear black and white of our to-do list and our goals and kind of plugging into the Smart goals formula. If you've been around for a while, I think that that's been man, that's been in the coaching space for so many decades. Our "Smart goals." And I think that there's some value in it, but I also think that it can be tweaked for our modern times with this actual third step being part of the process. Embrace the healing.
So much of transformation is having an eyes wide open approach. Be curious. Cultivate an open mindset. Take consistent action. Key word being consistent and also action. I think it's like one underscore under consistent and two underscores under action. And then be willing to change course when things are stagnating or just not working. Always good to get fresh eyes on it. Like whether you do a self-audit or you are connecting with a mentor or an advisor to just get an additional set of eyes on your work, that piece of accountability is priceless.
Kc Rossi (00:06:59) - The other thing when I'm thinking about this is. Are you holding on to something that you know isn't serving you? We all do it. We oftentimes can become attached to our ideas, people, and even things. It makes sense because especially as entrepreneurs and leaders, we've put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into our work. Of course, there is going to be some level of attachment. It might be strange if there wasn't. We are invested and we have invested our time, money, and energy into our work, be it a product, course, workshop, project, what have you. This is bringing to mind a group session that I facilitated last week. I had the honor of being with a group of women on a nine-month journey where they listen to their soul messages through art. One of the women in my group, when she was working, she cut her finger and during her share she said, my painting literally has my blood, sweat, and tears in it. I want to go back to the part of the definition of intention again.
Kc Rossi (00:08:10) - It caused me to pause digesting this medical version of it. The healing process of a wound. Subscribing to our answers are usually hiding in plain view. Let's just peek at the stages of wound healing.
Stage one. This is where we rush to stop the bleeding. Now, with physical issues, this is literal, but I invite you to pause and think of any area in your life where you are hemorrhaging. This might come in the form of an energy leak. There are so many areas where we can consciously and unconsciously be leaking energy. It also could be in the form of a financial loss, and even a small drip over time compounds to a significant thing. So an example here might be a membership that you're no longer using. It could be one of the umpteen apps that you have subscribed to that you really never look at. Those little things, even if they seem insignificant, they absolutely compound over time.
Now. Stage two is inflammation. Originally, when you hear the word inflammation, you may associate it with a bad thing. But inflammation is a fundamental and crucial part of the body's natural healing process. It's like the troops being called in to respond on your behalf. It is necessary. And I liken this to the germination process pushing through to emerge.
Stage three is growth and rebuilding. Here's where you've come through to the other side, similar to the Hero's Journey, which I spoke about last week. You're on your way back home after battle, so to speak. There is a recreation.
Lastly stage four - strengthening. I love this step and admittedly it's one I forget about. There is a sweet opportunity to honor here. Often we rush to get back to normal and catch up and whatever it is we lost during the time of injury and healing. But here there seems to be space for magic. A reconvening with new eyes, adaptable muscle tissue, and fresh awareness and readiness.
Drawing parallels between intention and the stages of wound healing, we see the importance of acknowledging our wounds and allowing space for growth, rebuilding, and strengthening.
Intention is the seed of all achievement.
Kc Rossi (00:11:02) - Think about that for a minute. Intention is the seed of all achievement. And for my science friends, here is one more reason to bake in intention in your life. Research in neuroscience suggests that setting intentions activates the brain's prefrontal cortex, priming it for action. And this is the best part it increases the likelihood of goal attainment. This is a plus in my book.
So intention. Who knew we'd go on this deep dive all about intention? I did because it was really on my heart and I was like, you know what? There's something more here. And I always love to look and notice the different patterns. Where else is this coming up? How else is this kind of showing its face to me? And I'm starting to see that more and more.
I'm going to leave you with a quote from American writer and teacher Jack Kornfield. He says, "Be mindful of intention. Intention is the seed that creates our future."
So, my friend, what seeds do you want to sow? Seeds of joy, Peace. Ease. Abundance. Think about it. Be intentional about it.
Lastly, Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh says, "The quality of your life depends on the seeds you water. If you plant tomato seeds in your gardens, tomatoes will grow just so. If you water a seed of peace in your mind, peace will grow."
Happy planting my friends. Until next week. Breathe, joy.
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