Why Setting Intentions is So Powerful for Your Homeschool

 

Setting intentions is a powerful practice for your homeschool.

Find out why I've shifted to this mindfulness practice to boost our homeschooling adventures and how it can help your family.

 

 

My Journey Homeschool Mission Statement to Setting Intentions

I'm so pumped up to share this new way that I'm approaching our homeschool. I wish I would have known about this powerful practice when we started homeschooling because it truly works.

This practice isn't anything fancy or really anything new (just new to me). I've found that it's exactly what I need to guide our homeschool and help it stay focused.

When we started homeschooling over 9 years ago, I kept hearing about needing a homeschool mission statement. I attempted to summarize all of our beliefs, goals, and priorities into a list of guiding principles.

This exercise was okay but never stuck with me. Honestly, our homeschool mission statement got lost in my binder where it didn't do any good.

Plus, a homeschool mission statement just didn't work with my boys. I'd watch their eyes glaze over as either I read it aloud or we repeated it together. (And my pre-readers certainly didn't feel a part of the process!)

So, we tried something new (and still use it today). Our homeschool vision board has become a fun back to homeschool tradition. We chat about our hopes and dreams for the upcoming homeschool year as we cut out pictures from magazines or doodle away. Our collaborative work is then pieced together on a poster board to reference and inspired throughout the year.

(For more information and FREE homeschool vision board guide, click HERE.)

Recently, a business coach introduced me to setting intentions. Well, I was familiar with the concept from my yoga practice but never thought about carrying it over into other areas of my life.

When I started thinking about moving from 2020 to 2021 in our homeschool, I realized that setting intentions for our homeschool would be a fantastic way to transition from a tough year to taking our learn at-home adventures to the next level.

**You can also find tips and help for finding and using a homeschool word of the year HERE.

 

 

An Amazing Mindfulness Practice for Your Homeschool

Wondering what I mean when I say "setting intentions"? That's a wonderful question!

Coralie Sawruck shares setting intentions "is the act of stating what you intend to accomplish through your actions." I love how she compares that act of having a goal (something that you shoot for) to setting an intention (taking action).

Georgie at In It 4 The Long Run digs more into intentions vs. goals. I can totally relate to her observation about intentions: It’s like a post-it note reminder for our brain.

To me, setting intentions means thinking, acting, and feeling with purpose so you can hold space for positive and progress. (I share more about what I mean by this and guide you through it in a free printable - just scroll down to check it out).

 

 

Benefits of Setting Intentions for Your Homeschool

Although I'm just starting this mindfulness practice for our homeschool, I've already started to experience the perks. And I've used it in other areas of my life (like yoga and wellness).

Setting intentions helps you with:

• Focus
• Motivation
• Positivity
• Taking action
• Making decisions
• Relationships
• Time management
• Follow-through with your homeschool plans
• Consistency
• Really anything of importance to you!

 

How to Get Started with Setting Intentions for Your Homeschool

Ready to roll up your sleeves and get started with setting intentions? Cool! All it takes is a bit of time, reflection, and openness to the experience 🙂

I'll break down my simple process for setting homeschool intentions (and offer a free planning page) but, first, I want to share a few resources that can be super helpful as you set your intentions.

Deepak Chopra provides these 5 Steps to Setting Powerful Intentions. #4 Detach from the Outcome really speaks to me - I think it's a fantastic reminder to remain open to the process.

At Mind Body Green Mindfulness, you'll find 10 Intentions to Set for Your Most Authentic Life. These tips relate to meditation but you can tweak for your homeschool life 😉

Oh, and I think this bit of advice from Becoming Minimalist is just lovely! It's a sentence completion exercise:

Today, I commit to ________.

You can fill that in depending on your needs, beliefs, or situation. For example, you might set an intention of "Today (or this week, month, year), I commit to being focusing on our homeschool priorities."

 

 

For setting my homeschool intentions, I've worked in 3 simple steps.

1. Time for Reflection

During this step, I take an honest look at the past time period that I'm setting an intention for. Yup, the good and the bad! Jot down your thoughts, feelings, and actions for that period of time.

I say period of time because you can do this exercise for a day, week, month, or year 🙂

 

2. Vision

Now, how would you like to think, feel, and act in your homeschool in the upcoming time period?

What would that look like? Feel like? Sound like? How would you talk to a friend about it?

Brainstorm a list of thoughts, feelings, and actions. Take a break then come back to your paper. Circle or highlight words or phrases that stand out with power and positivity.

 

3. In the Now

Put those powerful and positive words into a phrase, sentence, or small paragraph. Create whatever you need to live out your intentions.

What can you do in this time period to open space for your intentions? (And what can you not do?)

Jot down your ideas for action steps available to you now.

 

 

Get Your Free Setting Intentions Workbook

This free workbook contains 3 pages to guide you through setting powerful intentions for your homeschool.

In this free PDF (printable), you'll find:

• Reflection Time (taking an honest look back)
• Vision (looking ahead)
• In the Now (taking action)

To get this free Setting Intentions workbook, you just have to subscribe to Rock Your Homeschool! You’ll receive an email with a PDF download, along with a password to open the Subscriber’s Library to all RYHS freebies.

Plus, you’ll get emails with ideas, resources, and encouragement to make life and learning fun.

(Psst! Current RYHS members just need to access the Subscriber Freebies page and enter the password in your welcome email. Or get the instant download in the email the week of this post.)

Click HERE or on the image below to get your free Setting Intentions workbook 🙂

 

I'll be sharing some resources and tips on setting intentions for your homeschool very soon. Starting January 2021, I'll be hosting Homeschool Pep Talks over on Instagram (so c'mon over, follow, and let me know you're ready to get pumped up about homeschooling!).

 

Are you familiar with setting intentions, especially for your homeschool?
What questions do you have about this process? I'd love to help 🙂

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