Living a life with intention is about knowing what you want and doing the best you can to stay close to this. Things will get in the way, and you will suffer setbacks. But when you live intentionally it will be easier to get back to where you want to be or take the opportunity to re-assess.
Living intentionally is about the small daily habit you have and the choices you make.
Yesterday I intentionally did very little, I needed a day of relaxation, I felt tired and needed "nanna naps". Today I need action, the sun is out and I want to make the most of it. I want to feel a sense of achievement at the end of the day. Two different days, both listening to and responding to my needs. I have a friend who regularly sets a date day with herself. She says no to things on this day even if she really wants to do them because her date days are precious to her.
How do we achieve a life of intention?
Your day should start the night before, strange huh? When you reach the end of the day, consider the good things in our life by practising gratitude. Set a positive intention for the next day, this sends a message to our mind. Overnight you will process the emotions of the day, the things you are most grateful for and what you want tomorrow to bring. This sets a blueprint and programs your mind to help support you and get what you want.
When you wake in the morning, you already have a clear idea about how you want your day to be, how you want to feel and what you want to achieve by the end of the day. It's useful to remind yourself of this when you wake up and to repeat a daily mantra that will support you. Daily mantras are the same words repeated each day to positively reinforce who you are, how you want to feel and how you want to be.
As you progress with a life of intention, you may wish to incorporate meditation, yoga or journaling into your morning practice. Start small, first master the ability to set daily intentions. It is not a race or competition. Going at your pace will produce lasting change.
Check in with your self throughout the day, how are you feeling and what do you need? Listen to your inner voice, your emotions are a gauge helping you to fill up your own cup. Remind yourself why you matter and your best qualities. You have more wisdom than you know, practice listening to your intuition. It is like a muscle, it will get stronger the more you flex and use it.
Be realistic, listening to your inner voice will also help you not to take on too much or fit too much in. As this will only lead to overwhelm, stress and a sense of failure. Instead, you want things to be a stretch but achievable, break big aspirations into smaller milestones, set yourself up for success.
Don't compare yourself with others, you are each unique with your own set of unique qualities and gifts. You have different life experiences and values, what's right for you isn't right for others and vice-versa. "Comparison is the thief of joy" ~ Buddha.
Results of living an intentional life:
You will be calmer, less anxious.
You will have much more clarity about what you want from your life.
You will feel happier.
You will have more energy.
You will have deeper longer lasting relationships.
Now, who doesn't want some of that in their life?
If you find some of this tough get in touch, at inflori we deal with all kinds of dilemmas, there is a wealth of experience and support available. You can follow on Instagram or Facebook for tips and inspiration. I wish you the best of luck finding happiness, life is to short not to shine brightly.
