Learning how to live intentionally starts with your thoughts.
“Life is hard. I never seem to get to where I want to go. I feel like I am just getting by every day with no real purpose or destination. Always doing what is directly in front of me. I feel like I am on a treadmill with life. Life seems to be happening to me.”
Do you talk to yourself that way?
Do you want to know how to make life a little easier?
Try intentional living.
Intentional living is described as a lifestyle based on an individual or group’s conscious attempts to live according to their values and beliefs.
I think conscious is the key word there. Having actual thoughts about what you want your life to look like and creating a road map to get there. It’s consciously deciding ahead of time how you want to live your life.
Once you can do that, life can be easy, because you know which decisions to make based on what you want to create.
In all areas of your life, having a vision of what you want it to look like and knowing where you are now, can create your road map.
Health, relationships, abundance, career, spirituality, recreation, service, and environment are all areas of your life that you can create with your own values, beliefs, and intentions.
How to Live Intentionally
Let’s start by creating the vision for each area.
Take out your journal and write down each area of life. Then write down what you envision it to look like. Leave room between categories for the next step.
Here are a few examples:
Health – I believe in taking care of my body and I value a strong mind and a healthy weight. Moving my body every day is important. Feeling good is my ultimate goal.
Relationships – My family is very important to me and I will do what I can to protect and love them. I value my spouse and want to keep nurturing our relationship. My perfect match is out there, and I am ready to find them.
Abundance – Money is available to me and I enjoy all that I have. My success in life is inevitable. I spend money on things that are important to me.
Career – I love my job and want to continue to learn and move up in the company. I want to find a way to earn money following my passion.
Spirituality – I believe in a higher power who is always available to me. All I have to do is ask for help and guidance is on the way. I meditate and pursue personal development. I have the power to co-create my life with the Universe.
Recreation – Play is important. I need to take breaks from work to spend time with family and friends and laugh and enjoy life. Travel is something I want to do often.
Service – Helping others is my duty as a human being. Whenever possible I will do what I can to make others feel better. Every year I will choose a charity to get involved with.
Environment – I choose to live minimally. My home is small and organized. I live in a warm-weather climate.
Now let’s take stock of where you are now.
More examples:
Health – I am currently overweight and taking too many medications. I do not have control of my mental well-being.
Relationships – I am single. My marriage is a little stagnant. I am looking for something better or I want what I have to feel better.
Abundance – I have too much stuff. I live paycheck to paycheck. There are limits on what I can have or be.
Career – My job is not keeping me happy. I want to pursue a few of my passion projects.
Spirituality – I am feeling lost and out of alignment with my higher power.
Recreation – I work too much. I have lost touch with my friends.
Service – I have been focusing so much on my own problems, that I have forgotten to reach out to others.
Environment – My home life is a little chaotic. I want to find a way to spend more time at the lake. How can I help the world’s environmental issues?
Most people will not be feeling that much disconnect in all areas of their life. Some areas might be much closer to your vision than others. You may only want to focus on one area at a time.
But now you have a goal and a destination. You have intentionally created the vision, you know where you are now, and now you can create goals and make decisions that will close the gap between them.
Every time you have to decide about something, think of your vision.
Life becomes so much easier when you know what you want and why you want it. You know how to make decisions.
Intentional living paves the way for you to live with joy, freedom, appreciation, and empowerment. All emotions at the top of the emotional scale.
You were born to live your life! Figure out what you want that to look like and be intentional about getting there.
Living Intentionally Tips
DO NOT:
Live your life living up to other people’s expectations.
The world needs your talents, ideas, and passions. Don’t let someone else’s expectations influence your choices.
Know your goals and dreams and make sure you are accomplishing them for yourself. Don’t be a pawn in someone else’s desire for satisfaction, satisfy your own desires. Do not give away your power. Intentional living will distract you from worrying about what others think.
When we compare ourselves or our circumstances with others, we forget that we have control of our own lives. We fixate on others instead of trying to improve ourselves. Instead of comparing in a way that makes us feel bad about ourselves, we should look at the things we see and do what we can to incorporate that into our own lives.
Make the most of this life. Know where you want to go and enjoy every moment in the journey. When you learn how to live intentionally, every morning is a new opportunity to make decisions that align with your path.
“Life is fun and easy. I know where I want to be and I am following my own path to get there. I am living intentionally. The choice is mine of what makes me happy and joyful. I have power over my own life.”
Doesn’t that sound better?
“Respond to every call that excites your spirit.” Rumi
“Such a simple concept, yet so true: that which we manifest is before us; we are the creators of our own destiny. Be it through intention or ignorance, our successes and our failures have been brought on by none other than ourselves.” Garth Stein
“A difficult time can be more readily endured if we retain the conviction that our existence holds a purpose, a cause to pursue, a person to love, a goal to achieve.” – John Maxwell
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