The Road to Hell...?

I've been thinking about living with intention lately. I throw that word around a lot. I intended to go to the grocery store, but got distracted with painting, so now we're eating random frozen vegetables with the pasta I found in the back of the pantry. Or I intend to give my neighbor a piece of my mind the next time she says something snarky. I intend to go to Antarctica one day. I intend to write a blog post (with pictures! Ha!). I intend to lose weight. I intend to make a living as an artist. I intend to be more disciplined. I intend to stop taking rejection so personally. I intend to call my sisters more often. I intend to paint more and play on the internet less. These are all things I intend. But does that mean I'm living with intention?

We all know that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Whatever that means. Is it the idea that the intentions without action lead to misery? If I intend to lose weight, but continue to stuff myself with Quarter Pounders and Girl Scout Cookies, then not only am I betraying my body in unhealthy ways, but I'm probably berating myself for betraying my intentions as well. I'm more miserable because I intended to act differently.

So if that's true, then I need to figure out what I'm doing to follow through with my intentions or even give myself permission to let some of my intentions go. Some days, I'm better off giving up the illusion that I'm going to go to the grocery store. If I've planned to have "Random Pasta" for dinner, then I can enjoy painting more fully and enjoy dinner more because I don't feel guilty that I didn't do something I've intended.

With that in mind, I'm rethinking my intentions. I'm letting go. I'm choosing the intentions most important to me right now. And I intend to tell you about them soon.