Recently, someone asked for a session on the topic of “Intentional Living.” It got me thinking…me?! What could I possibly share about intentional living or living with intention? Do I even live with intention?
Then I snapped out of it, and realized that the topic could mean different things to everyone. So, I’m not an expert on anything, but I can share my experiences and guidance on what it means to live with intention.
The goal of living with intention is very simple: to stay PRESENT. As you’ve probably heard, living in the PRESENT is really a gift. (There’s no accident that ‘present’ has at least 2 meanings, ‘amiright?) Staying present, and in the moment, allows you to drop away the mental chatter, the worries, the things that weigh you down. In this moment, right now, there is nothing that isn’t working for you. Before you gather your list of burdens and challenges and get set to send me an email, schooling me on how f#ck@d up life is for you, hear me out.
When I compile a list of what isn’t working for me – it feels very true. When I compile a list of what IS working for me – it also feels very true. So the obvious choice is…door number 2! Always think about what IS working for you. Living with intention helps you do this; which in turn, invites more of what IS working and feels good.
Living with Intention can be in the big and the small things. The big things: before you get out of bed in the morning, set your intention to have a rockstar day. The little things: before you drop those kibbles into your furry’s bowl, say “I am intentionally feeding you delicious food, to fuel your body and keep you healthy.” (Little thing, and it took 2 seconds).
Stumble over to the coffee maker — stay present as you pour those fresh beans into the magical device; “I’m healthy, wealthy, and wise, and about to be caffeinated with delicious brown brew, because I deserve a wonderful morning.” (Little thing, 2 seconds).
Walk into the bathroom, counting your steps — “I’m healthy and abundant, and enjoy taking care of myself.” (You get the gist).
Is it really necessary to call your mind back to the present moment, over such mundane things? Nope, of course not. But indulge me for a second, my shiny friend…when you’re focused on the exact moment you are in, focused on the action you’re taking, do you know what you’re not doing? You’re not worrying. You’re not projecting. You’re allowing. You’re just being. This is a damn fine practice to get into.
Now, the little things are really where the habit begins. It breeds a natural environment of gratitude. It allows you to stay in the moment, be present, and be content – or at the very least, neutral. Neutral feels better than sad, worried, overwhelmed, yeah?
Living with intention doesn’t just mean the obvious – setting your intention for the morning, the big meeting, the date, the night… it also means to reduce the reactive state you’re pre-programmed with. As humans, we carry around this personality thing. We have strong likes and dislikes, and it can be very easy to walk through the morning, afternoon, and night on auto-pilot. When we stop being so reactive, we begin to step into our power.
I’ve mentioned the book “Becoming Supernatural,” by Dr. Joe Dispenza, in a previous article. One of the most fascinating viewpoints he shares is about how we wake up each day and immediately go back into our personality, which has been shaped based on events and experiences THAT HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED. We are essentially living our today, based on what happened in the past. Eeek. Could this be why change is so dang difficult?
Can you see why living with intention is so important?
We don’t want our programming to limit our thoughts, dreams, creativity, mood… So if we step out of the auto-pilot mood, stay present, and set the intention to be fully present and receptive to all the good stuff, we see the world, our lives, our friends, our jobs, our opportunities…differently. We see possibilities; we FEEL the possibilities. We remain open and creative; we feel safe in the current moment, and confident that we are where we are meant to be, in this moment.
Stay intentional throughout the day. Hit the pause button, don’t take conversations or conflict personally. Pause, breathe, and feel into it…how do you wish to proceed from the current moment to the very next one? You don’t have to have the whole thing planned out, that would be a waste of energy, to be honest. But if in that millisecond where you insert the pause and breathe — determine (this is intention) how you wish to engage or disengage, in the next moment. Allow yourself, and those in your orbit, the gift of grace. Grace in this case isn’t about forgiveness, it’s about energetic space to be.
When you’re intentional with your thoughts, words, and actions, you will notice yourself being wayyyy less reactive and much more intentionally present. When you’re present, there really isn’t much you can’t handle, I promise!
Take baby steps. Practice being present as you move throughout your day. While you’re present, you’re being intentional. This is slightly different than setting your intention and manifesting. But only slightly! You see, the biggest barrier to manifesting your intentions is that your mental clutter takes over and begins offering resistance. Resistance looks like inner dialogue, self deprecation, fear, worry…
As you begin to master living intentionally, from the small stuff to the big stuff, you’ll notice that you are rarely reactive. It’s almost impossible for other people to knock you out of your lane. You’ll become less interested in other people’s opinions, drama and gossip. You’ll feel content with your own experiences and life; your desire to ‘keep up with the Jones” will essentially disappear. You’ll feel EMPOWERED and entitled to an amazing life, filled with moments of contentment and enthusiasm and on and on.
The key to all of this – living with intention.
Let me know if you want to practice; I’m all about supporting you on your unique journey!
