What does it mean to be in control of oneself in listening encounters?

Are y'all looking for means to be intentional in your everyday life?

Does it e'er feel similar you're just going through the motions of life and not really headed anywhere? Practise you feel stuck on autopilot? Or do you become to bed wondering if your days are well spent?

If so, you're non alone. I walked that path for many years … living out of habit, doing what was expected of me, and wondering why I felt so lost on the inside.

Fortunately, I learned that it doesn't have to exist that way. When you embrace intentional living, you can live on your own terms and create a life of significant and purpose.

Here are a few uncomplicated ideas to help yous begin: ix ways to be intentional every day.

"10 Ways To Be Intentional Every Day: ideas to inspire intentional living" in a white box with a sidewalk surrounded by greenery in the background

How to Be Intentional Every Twenty-four hours

What Does Information technology Mean To Be Intentional?

Before nosotros swoop into today's list, permit's take a moment to talk about what it ways to be intentional.

I've been exploring this concept for the by seven years and I've come up to the conclusion that information technology'due south a two-part process centred effectually living with purpose.

The first pace is knowing what yous want—what are your values, dreams, priorities and goals? Why do you lot become out of bed each forenoon? What is your purpose and what makes you feel alive?

And so once you have answers to these questions, the side by side step is to align your actions accordingly. How practise yous spend your fourth dimension, money and energy? Are you living in alignment with what matters most to y'all? If non, what needs to alter?

This doesn't mean that an intentional life is a perfect life—but it is a purposeful life. Information technology'due south finding the courage to let go of things that no longer serve you (even when it goes against convention) and to pursue things that brand you feel alive.

At that place are notwithstanding sacrifices and trade-offs merely when you alive with intention you lot know what yous're giving upwardly and why. It's about knowing what you can and cannot command and taking responsibility for your life and happiness.

How To Be Intentional

Of course, in reality, living with intention is often easier said than done.

For starters, it'due south not always clear what you desire out of life—after all when was the final time y'all asked yourself the question? I know I was in my thirties before I even started thinking about it!

And then, once you accept clarity around this personal vision, it tin can be difficult to know where to start (especially when you feel deeply out of alignment). How do you lot begin when there's an bounding main between where you are and where you want to be?

The answer is the same style you start everything in life.

Yous accept a modest step forward, and and then some other, and so another … and then with time those modest steps become big steps and yous'll surprise yourself by how far you've come.

Keep reading for inspiration on how to have those first few steps.

Note: I should clarify that fifty-fifty though intentional living is forward-thinking, information technology's more virtually the journey than the eventual outcome. No thing where you are in life, it's the choices y'all brand every day that define you and ultimately, bring a sense of purpose and satisfaction.

A sidewalk surrounded by greenery. — Brand the intentional decision to walk your own path.

10 Ways To Be Intentional Every Mean solar day

Hither are 10 unproblematic ways to be intentional every 24-hour interval:

Exist mindful of the media you consume
Cull to be kind
Practise something that brings y'all joy
Inquire "why" before you buy
Exercise active listening
Make time for self-reflection
Do something you can be proud of
Question your "accept to's"
Prioritise rest and self-intendance
Know when it's time to let go

Be MINDFUL OF THE MEDIA YOU CONSUME

Between Boob tube, social media, your inbox and blogs similar this one—odds are you consume a lot of media content every day.

This isn't automatically a bad thing. After all, it'due south a style of sharing stories, exploring new ideas and connecting with others. When nosotros're mindful virtually how and why we seek out information, it can add a lot of value to our lives.

Of course, it can likewise have the reverse effect too. If you've always gotten lost down an Cyberspace "rabbit pigsty" then you lot know how easy it is to waste product time. Even worse, it tin lead to unhealthy comparisons, feelings of diminished cocky-worth, overwhelm and for some, even anxiety.

The key is to be mindful with social media and all other forms of media as well. Set intentions and boundaries earlier you brainstorm—ask yourself why am I doing this and how does it serve me. If you don't accept a practiced answer, information technology might be a time to do something else.

Cull TO BE KIND

"Practise things for people not because of who they are or what they do in return, merely because of who yous are." ―Harold S. Kushner

When you lot cull to be kind, you lot're making an intentional choice about the blazon of person you want to be. If you lot value kindness, expect for means to be kind every twenty-four hour period (and don't forget that cocky-kindness is important besides!).

DO SOMETHING THAT BRINGS Yous JOY

One of the simplest ways to be intentional every day is to do something that brings you joy. It'due south such a powerful means of calculation value to your life just information technology's so frequently overlooked.

Sadly, I call back it'southward because we've been conditioned to put the "hustle" before our own happiness. We feel like we need to be productive all the time—and we feel productive when we're working towards a socially acceptable definition of success (usually money and material appurtenances).

But what virtually YOUR definition of success? Is it really well-nigh getting the virtually washed? Maybe success is more than about a cup of tea and a adept book?

Or whatsoever makes you happy … the point is finding even simply a few minutes every day to do something that brings y'all joy tin can completely change how you lot feel about your life—simply you need to be intentional about making yourself a priority.

Related Mail: How to Create a Culture of Slow Living

All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. - J.R.R. Tolkien

ASK "WHY" Earlier YOU BUY

I of the biggest "ah-ha" moments on my simple and intentional living journey was when I started thinking about money in terms of time.

Most people who work for a living trade their time for coin. This means if y'all earn $20 per hr and you purchase a $20 sweater, then you have sacrificed an hr of your life in exchange for an particular of clothing.

How does that make you feel?

There's no right or wrong answer but the point is we must be intentional with our purchases. Ask why before you buy and question how it'southward adding value to your life. Then ask yourself if the expense is really worth it?

Related Mail: How to Be Happy With What Y'all Have + Terminate Wanting More

Exercise ACTIVE LISTENING

Intentional living is personal—what matters to me might not exist important to you. Having said that, I've even so to meet someone who doesn't place some value on their relationships.

We all desire to feel continued and ane way of creating connection is past intentionally practising active listening.

This is a really helpful guide on how to practise active listening but in summary, it's nigh listening to sympathise instead of listening to respond.

You can bear witness the people in your life that you care by making an effort to really hear what they have to say and past resisting the urge to centre their stories on yourself. Instead of thinking about how y'all're going to reply, do your best to understand their point of view.

Make TIME FOR SELF-REFLECTION

Making time for self-reflection is absolutely essential for intentional living—information technology's how you lot know you're on the correct track.

Accept a few minutes every day to think about your values and priorities. Then ask yourself how your schedule, your spending and even your home reflect this vision.

If you're not happy with your answers, what are one or two small things y'all could work on to bring yourself into alignment? Think nigh what you need more and less of in your life.

Finally, finish by setting your intentions for the next mean solar day. This volition help you stay focused on what really matters most.

Related Post: Why You Should Showtime a Journaling Habit + How to Brainstorm

DO SOMETHING YOU CAN Exist PROUD OF

At the very offset of this article, I asked if you always become to bed wondering whether your days are well spent.

If this resonated with y'all, a simple way of adding purpose to your every day is by intentionally doing something that you can be proud of.

It doesn't have to be a grand gesture—it might be equally simple as putting downwardly your telephone during a conversation or using a reusable coffee cup—but exercise something every day and then celebrate information technology too! For a few minutes, stop worrying about everything you're not and instead, give yourself a pat on the back for a task well done.

QUESTIONS YOUR "Have TO'S"

Is there anything yous experience similar you "have to" do every day?

I think that for most people, the reply is aye—and it's often a long list! We all have things that nosotros feel similar we "accept to" practice … simply where do these beliefs come from?

Who told you that you take to and when was the concluding fourth dimension you questioned information technology?

Now obviously, in that location are some things we really have to practice every solar day but don't brand assumptions without taking a closer expect first.

For instance, when I beginning started blogging, I thought that I "had to" be on Twitter. A mentor had mentioned information technology so I made information technology a priority every mean solar day fifty-fifty though it drove me nuts. And so 1 day, I asked myself why …

Because someone else told me to and now considering it's what I've e'er done.

I realised that Twitter wasn't adding whatever actual value to my life or my blog and I decided to stop. I gave myself permission to practice what was best for me and you can too—merely the commencement step is to get-go asking questions.

PRIORITISE Residuum AND SELF-CARE

Finally, every single person reading this should be intentional almost prioritising rest and self-care.

Why? Because if you don't accept care of yourself, then nothing else matters. You might be able to get by for a while simply somewhen, if you fail your physical and mental wellbeing, yous'll run out of steam.

I know it can be hard to do when you lot're busy but here are some applied cocky-care tips (observe out how I learned to practice self-intendance without information technology feeling like something else on my to-do list!).

KNOW WHEN Information technology'South Fourth dimension TO LET Go

There are so many things that can counterbalance us down—from the clutter in our closets to the thoughts in our minds. It tin continue united states of america clouded and dislocated; we can't focus on what matters considering we're likewise distracted by everything that doesn't.

The solution is to permit go. Declutter your home, allow go of the past and practice self-forgiveness. Learn how to let go of the little things that bother you and terminate comparing yourself to everyone else. It's not piece of cake, simply with practice, you can go better at releasing everything that holds you dorsum. And this creates space for a more than intentional life.

An Intentional Living Journaling Exercise

If the ideas on this list don't resonate with yous, here's a simple intentional living journaling exercise that will aid you discover something that does.

STEP 1: Retrieve of 3 times when you felt truly live and explore these memories in your journal. What happened that made yous feel the way you did?

Stride two: Next, enquire yourself what's ane modest thing could you practise to replicate this feeling every day? Brainstorm ideas.

And of course, the last stride is to follow through with intentional activity! Start doing more of what makes you feel alive every day and commit to making it a regular habit.

Free Intentional Living Challenge

I also invite you to join me for With Intention, a free intentional living challenge designed to help you finish living on motorcar-pilot and kickoff living on purpose.

HOW THE CHALLENGE WORKS

Over the course of a calendar week, y'all'll go four emails with a link to each lesson.

In the lessons, I'll take you through the pivotal moments of my personal journey towards simple and intentional living. You'll observe my stories, the lessons I learned and too elementary activities Yous tin exercise to liveWith Intention.

Simply use the class below to sign up or click here to larn more.

Over 1,800 people have taken the challenge and started living With Intention. Will yous join them?

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What are your tips for living with intention every day? Permit me know in the comments—I'd love to hear from you lot! ten

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Source: https://www.simplyfiercely.com/be-intentional/