Is the art of Intentional Living the secret to your best life? And how can you make this happen?
We’ve all been there – stuck in a rut, feeling like we’re going through the motions without any sense of direction or purpose.
Staring endlessly at your phone to see what your friends are doing on social media.
Checking your email constantly hoping that a new client or new opportunity will magically appear.
And jumping from one shiny object to the next and not sticking to any of them.
A Distracted Life or an Intentional Life?
It’s easy to be distracted and sidetracked from what’s truly important. And to be under pressure and to feel overwhelmed to conform to societal norms and expectations. We can feel lost and unsure how to break free.
The alternative is to wake up every morning with a sense of purpose and feeling clear and focused about the choices we’re making and the actions we’re taking.
What is Intentional Living?
That’s what intentional living is all about – making good choices. As a result, turning everyday experiences into meaningful moments that make us feel happy and healthy.
The research shows that living an intentional life can help you sleep better, be happier and live longer. And we all want more of that!
So how do you master the art of intentional living?
Why I Needed Intentional Living
Ten years ago, I was at the lowest point of my life.
I had travelled to Thailand and became really sick. I lost 10% of my body weight in two weeks because I couldn’t eat. (And I still have gut health issues.)
When I came back I lost my three main clients and I had to start my business from scratch again.
I started a new venture with a colleague who lied to me and sent me broke.
My family didn’t help me. Instead, they told me to stop trusting people.
And someone else tried to take advantage of me by offering me a job at a very low rate of pay.
I couldn’t pay for groceries. Some days I was so depressed I could barely get out of bed. And I even had thoughts of suicide.
It wasn’t pretty.
How the Art of Intentional Living Changed My Life
But several friends stepped in to help. One was a mindfulness teacher. And this changed everything.
And it was through Mark Molony and the Mindful Life Program that I learnt the art of intentional living. And I came back from the brink of despair.
(Listen to a podcast interview on Mindfulness with Mark Molony here and here)
Three Strategies for Living an Intentional Life
Today I am happier and healthier. Plus, I have less stress and more joy in my life.
My life is not perfect – as my values challenge post showed – but I feel happy about where I am at.
And it all came down to the art of intentional living.
There are three life strategies I recommend here.
1 Live through your Values
First, to be intentional you naturally need to set an intention.
This is why I love talking about how to write a manifesto. A personal manifesto is a public declaration of your intention.
And the best manifesto for living an intentional life is to define your values. They’re a powerful and flexible way to guide you through life.
Read this post to learn how to use Core Values to make better decisions
2 Practice Mindfulness
Next, you need to pay attention to your intention.
This is what mindfulness is – putting your attention on your intention.
There are two levels here.
The micro level is meditation. This helps you directly practice your ability to focus and pay attention. Typically, this means sitting and concentrating on your breath.
And the macro level is living true to your values during your day which is all about making conscious decisions. I talked about that in this post.
3 Design Your Ideal Day
And the third step I recommend is to design your Ideal Day.
This is where you stack actions together that have meaning for you. This might be a morning routine or throughout your day.
Some of the things I’ve included in my morning routine are: meditation, writing, going for long walks, having a good coffee and reading a good book. I’ve also started playing pickleball – which I love.
I shared how to create your ideal day in this post.
A Final Thought
And here’s one final thought. The art of intentional living happens in the little moments of every day. You don’t need big goals, an inspiring purpose or a sexy mission statement. You just need to pay attention to what’s happening right now.
Intentional living is not a destination to reach, but a way of enjoying every day.
More on The Art of Intentional Living
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