Intentional living is the discipline of making the most of every day by being mindful of your actions, thoughts, and feelings. It is the act of living a life that is consciously chosen, in a way that aligns with your values and goals. It can be applied to your relationships, your work, your home life, and most importantly, your time.
For example, when we act in a way that is consistent with our goal, we are living intentionally. What we do in our lives will always be a reflection of what we truly value in life. So, we must be intentional about what we value in life.
In practice, it is about being aware of what is going on around you and finding the opportunities that are hidden in your life. A lot of times, people feel like they are living intentionally, but really, they are only living intentionally when it comes to their work. When it comes to their home life, they feel like they are just going through the motions. That is where disconnect happens.
By living intentionally, you create a life that is more satisfying, and it allows you to follow your passions, interests, and dreams. In other words, live a purposeful life, or deciding what you want out of life and going for it. It is often easier said than done when you don’t know what you want. To put into practice, we can take small steps to build an intentional daily habit. Here are 5 simple ways to live your life more intentionally.
1. Be Thankful Every Day
Whether it’s writing down three things you’re grateful for in a notebook, texting a friend, or writing a letter to a family member, expressing gratitude makes us happier. By putting it into practice on a daily basis, you can begin to cultivate an attitude of abundance and gratitude.
Your perspective will change once you start appreciating every little things around you. You can start with being grateful for the fresh air, the abundance of food, your family and friends or even your pet.
2. Be An Active Listener
We all want to feel connected, and one way to do so is to practice active listening mindfully. We all always want to talk first but how often do we take the time to be patient and listen first? Everybody wants to be understood but no one takes their time to get to know what others truly meant.
The priority here is to “listen to understand” rather than responding. Make an effort to truly hear what they have to say and resist the impulse to center their story on yourself can show the people in your life that you care.
Take your time to absorb the information, and only then you should give your answer. If you want to be a good partner or friend, start doing this today and it would improve your relationships significantly.
3. Pause And Breathe
There is a moment before every action you take. You have the chance to pause at that point and consider whether the action you’re about to take is in line with your values. The difference between living in sync and bouncing from impulse to impulse can be as little as a two-second delay.
Each day is equally significant in shaping the life we envision for ourselves. While each day may seem insignificant at the time, you’ll see that progress was achieved one small step at a time over time. After all, it’s how we spend our days that determines how we live our lives.
4. Make Good Use of Your Time
Time is valuable. It is arguably our most limited resource, and it is also possibly the one that we waste or misuse the most. There are so many things to do in a day and yet we only have 12-15 hours of waking time.
Don’t take on too much, spread yourself too thin, overbook or double book yourself, or say ‘yes’ when you’d rather say ‘no.’ Spend your time intentionally and in accordance with your priorities. If you think playing games or hanging out with friends is what makes you happy, do it. So as long as there’s no regrets.
5. Create Healthy Habits
We are all aware of the importance of taking care of ourselves, staying fit, and eating healthily. But you don’t have to run the marathon or even sign up for a gym membership if it’s not a realistic goal for you! Instead, simply be mindful of how you use your body and what you put into it.
Start deciding to get more exercise, even if it’s as simple as going for regular walks in the park. Be mindful of the food you buy and the food you put in your mouth. A healthy diet will result in having more energy, feeling better, and be able to live a fuller and happier life.
When you have a balance body and mind, you will feel more connected with yourself, and thereby, helping you make better decisions.
Conclusion
Life is full with twists and turns and unexpected events, but we still want to find a way to live an intentional life. Even when we know we should be living intentionally, there’s always something that gets in the way. If you want to live a happy life, it’s time to give your life direction and purpose. We all want to live an intentional life, but sometimes it seems challenging to make it a reality.
We have to make sure that we’re focusing on our true passions, and making time for the things that matter most. If you want to live a happy life, you need to stop drifting and start living intentionally. As the years go by, we realize that life is a lot shorter than we thought.
We start to ask questions like: “Why am I doing this?” “Is this what I want?” “Is this what I’m meant to do?” Our lives don’t have to be like this. We should be able to be happy and live a meaningful life, just like we deserve. We need to live our lives intentionally.