How to Set Intentions by Planting Seeds

Last Updated on December 10, 2024 by Tracey McGrath

Intentions are anything that we aim or plan for. So, how to set intentions is as natural a process as planting an actual seed. You plant a seed and then expect it to grow. That faith in your intention is crucial to its manifestation.

Your mind is like a garden.   First, you have to plant the seed. Nothing can grow even in the best environment if there are no seeds in the soil.  

Intentions Take Time to Manifest

When you plant a seed in the dirt you don’t expect it to bear fruit that same day.  You know that it takes time and nurturing.  

The seed needs sunlight and enough water.  And maybe even some fertilizer (all-natural, of course!).   

Then you WAIT.  

This is perhaps the most critical step….and most difficult.  And you keep nurturing it.   These are all the exact same things that we must do for our dreams and goals as well.  

6 STEPS for How to Set Intentions:

#1 – PLANT THE SEED IN YOUR MIND. 

Figure out what it is that you want to see bear fruit.  A new business idea?  A book?  A baby?  A new relationship?  A new wardrobe?  A new house? 

#2 – GIVE IT LOVE & LOTS OF LIGHT. 

Nurture your goal with positive reminders that it is already happening. 

Speak in the present tense. 

For example, repeat to yourself “I am a best-selling author” instead of “I will write a book”.  If you speak it in the future tense then it’s most likely to stay in the future.   

#3 – FEED IT. 

Those reminders that your goal is already in the works will help it to grow roots.  Believe that it is already yours.

A way to enhance your faith in its manifestation is to ACT like it already has happened. For example, Denise Duffield-Thomas, a money mindset coach says she made her email signature say the “author of her book” before actually writing it!  

#4 – PULL OUT THE WEEDS. 

When you see or hear negative thoughts yank yourself out of that place! Being critical or unsupportive of yourself will only pull you further away from your goal.

Words have power. The power to create the belief that we deserve our desires or the power to create doubt.

You have to be diligent about keeping out the negativity surrounding your dreams.  Your intentions can get strangled by weeds if you let them.  Check in daily to make sure you are providing a clean and safe space for your seeds (now plants!) to continue to develop.

A great way to practice noticing your thoughts is by meditating. Check out my article on how to start your meditation practice.

#5 – BEAR FRUIT. 

Watch as your goal starts to develop. The next steps to take become more clear. You will start to see what Deepak Chopra calls “synchronicities” in his book, “The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire”.

These are little happenings that seemingly come out of the blue to help you along your path to your intention. Notice any nudges or hunches you have.  

#6 – RIPEN. 

Seeing the synchronicities is part of the journey to your intentions. But you still must take action. As you follow your clues (or synchronicities), your intentions become your reality. Follow these to see where they lead you. This is the Universe helping you.

Celebrate! This is the fruit of your labor! 

Believing BEFORE the Seeing

You can’t see what’s happening underneath the soil but that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing happening.  Trust that the work is being done for you since you have planted the seed.  

“To see things in the seed, that is genius.”  

— Lao Tzu

How to Set Intentions for a Loving Relationship

First, you plant your seed.  Think of your goal or dream that you would like to see come to life.

Make sure your mind is clear and supportive of your goal.  Clear out any negative thoughts about your goal or dream not happening.  Write these fears or objections down to start releasing them. You can choose to rip up or burn that piece of paper. This action further releases those fears.  

Want a new relationship but don’t think you deserve a loving and supportive partner?  Then you won’t receive it.  You must truly believe that you deserve your goal.

You may need to do some forgiveness work in order to let go of old limiting thoughts. Check out my article on how to improve self-esteem for a simple forgiveness practice.   

Find steps that will take you toward your goal. These steps should feel doable for you NOW.  For example, instead of a new relationship with someone else when there currently isn’t anyone new in your life, you could start off by nurturing a more loving relationship with yourself.

Try giving yourself the gifts you’d like to receive from a loving partner. Flowers, a massage, watching a movie you love.   

Work on clearing out all those negative emotions and thoughts surrounding your desire to receive love. This will put you on a path toward more love!

Practice Being Present

Once you’ve set your goal or dream.  Write it down in the present tense.  For example, I have a loving and supportive partner.  Instead of saying, “I will have a loving and supportive partner”.  Using the present tense trains your brain to think it is happening now, not in the future.

Write it in your journal, on a sticky note to put on your mirror to see it every day, on an index card to hang in your car, put a reminder on your phone, and wherever else you can think of. I love using the gorgeous notebooks and planners from Day Designer to keep my goals organized and on track.  

You want to see your goal EVERY DAY and many times a day if you can!

Practice being present with mindfulness activities. Check out my article on What Mindfulness Is to learn more.

Release the Negativity

And anytime you feel negativity come up around your goal question that negativity. Couldn’t the positive result also be possible for you? Try to just notice the negative thoughts and say “No, thank you.  I’d like to see what else is possible for me.”  

Repeat what could be true for you. Remember it must feel true for you now in order for it to work. “I surround myself with loving people.” or “I love and accept my pet.” or “I haven’t met my partner yet.”

If you notice specific negative thought patterns that continue to show up this may mean you need to do some work to release that fear.  Try writing down your negative thoughts and feelings in your journal. Then set a timer for 10 minutes to write about where you think those thoughts come from. Why do you believe them? Is it someone else’s belief? Or is it simply fear?  Just by acknowledging this, you will begin to release it.        

You will begin to notice small changes that will bring you closer to your goal.  

Be Ready to Receive 

You cannot receive your intention if you’re not open to receiving it. Practice receiving and feeling good. Receiving may not be something that feels natural, especially for women. If someone pays you a compliment, accept it. Yes, all you have to do is say, “Thank you.” You don’t have to give a compliment back in order to receive one.  If someone out of the blue texts you with a loving note, respond with a gracious thank you.

Find things that make you feel good and you enjoy. And do those things! When you cultivate more feel-good energy you will attract more into your life.

“I change best by feeling good, not by feeling bad.”
― B.J. Fogg, “Tiny Habits”

Be Mindful of Micro-managing

You set the intention and then you must LET GO of how the goal or dream will come into your reality.  The Universe (or whatever you like to call that higher energy force) will provide opportunities. We often want to step in and make it happen. But that isn’t always the best course of action.

Just be aware and watch for those opportunities, hunches and little nudges. Trust and patience in the process are critical yet challenging. An apple tree bears hundreds of apples from one tiny seed but it does take time. Your seed can bear the life you desire and deserve.

Your goals and dreams are yours if you believe they are.  And I believe they are!  

A Practical Exercise for How to Set Intentions:

• Buy a packet of seeds and a small bag of potting soil.  You can use any type of pot or even a plastic cup with a hole poked in the bottom for drainage.    
• Use this opportunity to literally plant a seed as you plant one in your mind as well. 
• Write your goal or intention on the pot/cup so you see it daily. And write it on a piece of paper to plant with your seeds in the soil.    
• Remind yourself to be patient as you wait and trust that your seed will grow. Set reminders on your phone of your intention so you see it throughout your day.   
• Remember to choose a loving and light-filled space to place your pot.
• Continue to water your seed daily or as needed. 
• Nurture yourself in ways that feel good to you. Keep feeling good to draw in more feel-good energy!
• Check in on your seed and yourself and give some positive feedback. Try not to hover over it constantly demanding that it grow.  It will grow in its own time – just as your thought seed will grow as well!

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.”

— Robert Louis Stevenson

Let’s Connect!

Our lives are changed by the thoughts we plant. And we can thankfully choose our thoughts! But it takes being mindful of how we talk to ourselves. I love using art in a mindful way to do just that.

Art can help us to notice our inner critic’s voice in a playful and fun way. You can check out my original artwork here!

Frequently Asked Questions about How to Set Intentions:

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