Intenational living may appear high, difficult, or simply perplexing. Nonetheless, it is a way of life that can be developed by reflection and minor changes. What is intentional living, and how to get there?

Having a routine is fantastic, but we can frequently find ourselves going through our entire day without even thinking about most of what we do. If you spend the majority of your time running on autopilot, it begs the question: Are you truly creating the life you want to live? The remedy to this is to live with intention. It requires awareness and a consistent commitment to show up, look at what you see in your life, and be honest with yourself to learn how to live intentionally.

Being intentional is a skill that you can develop every day, and that will alter your life. Being intentional about what is important to you and then taking action on those things will be two guiding qualities to take your life forward and achieve development every day.

An intentional focus is a devoted, purposeful, and deliberate way of thinking about your business and life. You choose to make decisions and take action on what is important to you when you are deliberate. Being intentional entails being clear about what you want to achieve from the start.

But what exactly does it mean to be intentional? What does doing things with intention look like? And, perhaps most importantly, is purposeful living accessible to all?

Read on to know more!

What is living intentionally?

Living with intention is somewhat subjective in the sense that it will change depending on your ideals and circumstances. In general, you might think of intention as being conscious or present with yourself as you make decisions or have experienced them, to remain true to your beliefs and what is important to you.

Intentional people are action-oriented and have an unwavering commitment and strong mindset to attain their goals. To become more intentional, it is necessary to be self-aware, to say no more than yes, and to cultivate thankfulness.

Intentional living is a way of life that pushes us to set our priorities, be clear about what we want out of life, and live each day in accordance with these values. In today’s hectic society, when many of us are overburdened and juggling “all the things,” it’s certainly not surprising that intentional living is becoming more popular.

Living with intention, for example, could imply more values-based acts such as:

• Going for a long walk with your spouse since exercise and quality time are important.
• Ensuring that your favorite activities are present in your calendar to prioritize self-care.
• Visiting your grandparents on Sundays because you want to see them more often.

Learning to be intentional entails making the decision to act on the things that are important to you. Living with intention entails consciously deciding to create the life you desire rather than allowing others to control your feelings and actions.

How can you live intentionally?

Remove the background noise.

Distractions abound in today’s environment, and they can easily drag you away from your ideals and intentions. Avoid allowing social media, others, or anything else to influence your deepest wishes. Consider pausing to identify the main distractions in your life and minimizing or eliminating them entirely.

Learn to Understand Yourself Compassionately

Knowing yourself and using compassion to go deeper to uncover what motivates and excites it is an important aspect of living intentionally. Consider the following questions: 

• What do I value?
• What am I concerned about?
• What am I uninterested in?
• What should I do because others are doing it?

Listen to yourself with compassion rather than judgment when you ask these questions. This will allow you to discover more about yourself without feeling overwhelmed.

Make your key relationships stronger.

When life becomes hectic, it’s easy to take our relationships with others for granted. We forget or neglect to make an effort to connect with and spend time with the individuals who are most important to us. Relationships, on the other hand, are important, and they require effort to be strong. Make your relationships a priority. Concentrate on those that are mutually supportive and discover strategies to remove yourself from those that appear to be one-sided. Why not contact your parent, meet your best friend for coffee, talk with your spouse, or play with your children after reading this?

Develop an optimistic attitude.

Our attitude determines how we think about our lives, the choices and decisions we make, and whether or not we take action (or not). Don’t waste your life by not making the most of it. Explore strategies to cultivate a good, healthy mentality and clean your thoughts to achieve clarity and focus in order to enjoy an intentional existence fully.

Maintain healthy habits.

We are all aware of the necessity of caring for ourselves, being healthy, and eating healthily. But you don’t have to run the marathon or even join a gym if it’s not a realistic goal for you! Instead, simply be mindful of how you utilize your body and what you put into it. Resolve to get more exercise, even if it’s only taking the dog or the kids for frequent walks. Take care of the food you buy and serve your family. You’ll have more energy, feel better, and be able to live a fuller, happier life as a result.

Let yourself rest.

Living with intention also entails being patient and compassionate with yourself, as well as allowing for mistakes. Use compassionate self-talk that affirms your emotional experience and makes you sound more like a nice friend — not a judge. Listening to meditations that guide you in being kinder to yourself can also be beneficial, especially when self-compassion feels out of reach.