Being Intentional in Our Daily Tasks Can Lead to Self-Healing

By Adriana Castro-Convers, PhD

We often think of healing as something grand—a breakthrough in therapy, a spiritual awakening, a life-changing moment. But what if healing begins in the smallest of acts? What if it lies, quietly and patiently, in how we wash a dish, take a breath, or speak to ourselves when no one is listening?

As a therapist, I often remind my clients that they already carry the tools they need to change their lives. Sometimes, I even reach for a little prop in my office—a “magic wand.” It’s a gentle, playful reminder that the real magic is already within them. And if you look closely, that wand resembles a lowercase “i.” I use that as a teaching moment: “This ‘i’ stands for ‘intention.’ That’s where your power lives.”

What Does It Mean to Be Intentional?

To be intentional is to act with awareness and purpose. It means moving through your day with a sense of presence, making choices that are aligned with your values, and slowing down enough to truly notice what you’re doing—and why.

In a world that often rushes us through everything—meals, conversations, even rest—intention is a radical act of self-respect. It brings us back into relationship with ourselves. It’s not about perfection or productivity; it’s about honoring the moment you’re in and choosing how to be in it.

Why Intention Helps Us Heal

Healing happens when we bring kindness and attention to our pain, when we allow ourselves to be with our experiences instead of escaping them. Intention helps us do that. It turns a walk into a grounding ritual. It turns a cup of tea into a pause for reflection. It turns self-talk into a sacred dialogue.

When we are intentional, we signal to the nervous system: You are safe. You can soften now. And that softening is often the beginning of true healing.

Everyday Activities That Support Healing—When Done with Intention

Here are a few simple acts that, when done with purpose and presence, can become part of your healing practice:

1. Taking a Walk

Instead of walking to get somewhere or to “burn calories,” try walking to arrive in yourself. With each step, notice the ground beneath your feet. Feel the air on your skin. Let your thoughts rise and fall like leaves. Let it be a moving meditation.

2. Taking a Soothing Bath

Not just to get clean, but to let go. Add essential oils, light a candle, or simply allow the water to hold you. Let it be a ritual of release.

3. Listening to Music

Don’t just play it in the background—really listen. Choose songs that nourish your soul, that remind you of who you are or where you want to go. Let music move through your body, your breath, your memories.

4. Reading a Book

Especially books that inspire, calm, or reflect your inner world. One of my personal companions is Peace Is Every Stepby Thich Nhat Hanh, a beautiful guide to mindful living. He writes, “Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the earth revolves.” That line alone can transform the way we move through our day.

5. Engaging in Breathing Exercises

The breath is the bridge between the mind and the body. When we become intentional with our breath—even if just for one minute—we send ourselves the message: I am here now. I am alive. I am enough.

Try this: Inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for six. Let that longer exhale signal release. Do it three times. Notice what shifts.

6. How We Talk to Ourselves

This one might be the most important. Intentionally changing your inner dialogue can be transformative. Replace criticism with curiosity. Replace judgment with compassion. It’s not about ignoring pain or struggle—it’s about meeting it with kindness.

Instead of “I messed up again,” try:"I’m noticing a pattern. I wonder what this is teaching me."That small shift is magic.

From Mindfulness to Intention: Lessons from Thich Nhat Hanh

Mindfulness and intention walk hand-in-hand. Mindfulness asks us to notice the moment. Intention asks us to shape it. Together, they return us to our power.

Thich Nhat Hanh teaches that even washing the dishes can be sacred. If we rush through it to get to the “real” part of life, we miss the gift of now. But if we wash each dish with care, gratitude, and presence, we are practicing peace. We are healing.

That is what intention does—it turns the ordinary into the extraordinary. It allows us to be our own source of grounding and grace.

Closing Thoughts: You Are the Wand

We don’t need a retreat to start healing. We need presence. We need choice. We need intention.

That’s why I love the image of the magic wand shaped like an “i.” It’s a symbol of self-remembrance. You don’t need to wait for someone to save you. You already hold the magic. And every intentional act is a spell you cast for your own healing.

So today, take a moment to breathe. Take a walk, read a poem, stir the soup, or say something kind to yourself—and do it with intention.

Because the way you live your day…is the way you live your life.

If you’d like guidance in cultivating intention and integrating healing practices into your life, I’d be honored to support you. Explore my spiritual guidance and therapy offerings at:  https://www.castro-converscounseling.com/