It’s not hard to get caught up in life. Our routines are determined by our jobs and the many family and household responsibilities we undertake. And before we know it, we are living life much like a robot; with no time for ourselves and without being really tuned-in to what we want and what we dream of. What is hard, though, is living life intentionally…
What does living intentionally mean? Quite simply, it means being in touch with your needs and desires. On a day-to-day basis, it means doing things that enrich you, bring you joy and fulfill your needs. In the grander scheme of things, it means having a purpose, fulfilling dreams that are dear to you and living a life that would make you proud.
You’ll notice that living intentionally has nothing to do with the expectations or benchmarks set by society. It is not about being ‘successful’ or ‘rich’. It does not mean wanting to make loved ones proud by taking a path they deem right. Living intentionally is all about you and being in touch with who you are, what you want and how you feel as a result.
What better time than the New Year to start living intentionally? We bring you a 5-step guide on how to live intentionally and make every day count…
Listen to yourself
Our minds, hearts and bodies are great at telling us what we need or want. So, take some time alone and introspect. Listen carefully to your self. Make note of what changes you wish to make in your daily life; what hopes and dreams you want to fulfill; the things you want to make time for and do more of; the aspects of your life that drain you; and the things you do not want to continue doing for another minute.
Set small goals
Now that you know what you need, sit down with a paper and a pen and jot down small goals. Make this an annual thing – say, by the end of the year you want to write 10 short stories. Or you want to cook a special meal for your friends and family once every month. Make sure your goals are, in some small way, stepping stones to your big dream. If you want to be an actor, audition for five plays in the year or if you want to learn to draw, take some online classes… you get the gist. A total of four or five goals in a year are more than enough. Again, ensure they are achievable.
Make changes and be organised
Not all of us can make a huge change overnight or free up large chunks of time to pursue a dream. In order to create space to do the things you love, organisation is key. Use calendars or day planners to note down your regular schedule. Then reduce 10 minutes from each activity. Pool all of the tens of minutes you cut out from other chores, and if you are lucky, you will have about 30 minutes to an hour of me-time. You may use this time however you see fit; work on your goals, or rest and relax. Whatever you need in the moment is what you must do.
Talk about your intentions
While we are led to believe that grand dreams should be kept under wraps for fear of attracting negative vibes, the opposite is true in the quest for intentional living. Sharing your intentions with trusted friends or family will help keep you accountable. Say you’ve been spreading yourself too thin taking on too many assignments and losing sleep over them. Telling a parent, spouse or friend that you wish to make a change and instead just have some time every day to kick up your feet and read will make sure they remind you when you fall back into old habits.
Practise gratitude
You can do this any time of the day or in any way. You can write down what you are grateful for. Or you can send a whisper out into the universe saying thank you for everything you are blessed with. You can take five minutes before you hit the sheets, or five minutes before you get out of bed in the morning. No matter which way or when you do it, practising gratitude is a must. It is a great exercise in positivity and will help you continue to live intentionally.
