There is great power in living with intention -- it's a tool you can use to change your life!

When you live with intention, you reclaim your sovereignty and become the conscious creator of your life. 

You no longer go through your days on autopilot or settle for what comes your way. You create a vision for your life, and then each day you intentionally set out to move in that direction. 

Many of us (myself included for a long time), go through life without being very intentional. Or, we’ll be very intentional in certain areas of our life, but approach other areas with little intention.

I spent many years like this myself, and I still have to be really mindful about approaching each day with intention and not falling back into my old "autopilot" patterns.

Signs that you might need to live more intentionally:

>> you aren’t creating the results you want in your life

>> you’ve been setting the same goals year after year, but never achieving them

>> you just feel stuck and unfulfilled in general

I’ve experienced all of these, and so have most of my coaching clients.

From my experience and theirs, I can tell you that living with intention can literally change your life.

If you've been struggling to make progress toward your goals or to live a more purposeful and fulfilling life, read on to learn more! 

What Is Intentional Living?

There are different ideas and definitions for intentional living, but to me it means living in alignment with your values by being intentional in what you do, how you think, how you speak, and how you are, in order to create the life you truly desire.

It’s getting super clear on your values, your purpose, and what makes you happy, so that you can start shifting your actions, thoughts, and ultimately your life to be in alignment with these things.

It’s creating a vision for your life and then deciding to live each day in alignment with that vision, setting the intention to think, act, and communicate in alignment with your vision for your life.

This can mean being brutally honest with yourself and choosing what YOU want versus what someone else wants, or what someone else says you should want (or wants for you). 

Sometimes it requires making tough choices . . . giving up something you like so you can have, do, or be something you love.

And no matter where you are in the course of your life, it’s never too late to start living with more intention (I didn’t start figuring out this whole intentional living thing until my forties). The right time is right now!

Best of all, you can start living more intentionally today with just one small shift.

How to start living with more intention

Step 1: Get clear on what you want for yourself and your life. This is the foundation for living with intention. 

If creating your vision for your life feels daunting or overwhelming, then start with just one area of your life . . . what is one thing you’d really like to change? (You’ll find some journal prompts below to help you with this).

Step 2: Once you’re clear on what you want, intentionally take time everyday to decide what you’ll do to move in that direction.

This can include things like:

>> taking an action

>> changing your thoughts or mindset 

>> acting in a different way (ie, BEing different)

>> identifying something you are NOT going to do

Step 3: If there are actions you need to take, make a plan and set aside time for it. 

To help you stay on track with it, block time in your calendar or add it to your priority list.

If being accountable to someone else is helpful, share your intention for the day with a loved one and tell them you’ll check in to let them know it’s done.

Step 4: Each night, take a moment to review the ways you were intentional. You might also identify ways you want to be more intentional the next day.

Take pride in your wins, but DO NOT beat yourself up or be critical for areas where you could have done better. Being mean to yourself serves no good purpose. 

Instead, approach it from a place of compassion and curiosity. 

You could say to yourself, “It’s interesting that I did/didn’t do (fill in the blank); I wonder why? How might I be more intentional with that next time?”

An analogy I think most people can relate to is being intentional at work . . . 

If you’ve got a deadline at work, you’re going to be very intentional about doing what needs to be done to meet that deadline. You’ll have a plan, you’ll break it down into smaller steps, you’ll focus on it each day, and you’ll set aside time to work on it. 

You won’t just show up to work with the project/deadline in the back of your mind, thinking maybe you’ll have time to get to it later, and hoping that it happens. 

But, a lot of times this is how we approach our goals and dreams! (I’ve been guilty of it, too)

Apply intentionality to your goals and dreams, and you’re guaranteed to start creating the results you want in your life!

Next steps

Below are three tools you can use to help you start living more intentionally to create the results you want in your life:

First, use one or more of  these journal prompts to gain clarity around where you might need to be more intentional:

1. The biggest thing missing from my life is . . . 

2. Something I’m craving in my life is . . . 

3. I would never tell anyone this, but deep down what I really want to do, have, or be is . . .

4. The thing in my life that really bugs me or brings me down is . . . 

Now imagine the version of you who already has the things you want for your life. Then finish these prompts:

1. One thing this version of me would be doing, saying, or thinking is . . .  

2. One thing this version of me would NOT be doing, saying, or thinking is . . . 

3. One way I am currently out of alignment with these is . . . 

4. One small shift I can make today to be more intentional about creating what I want is . . . 

Second, download my Find Your Center journal sheets to help you get centered and start + end your day with intention. This will help you put intentional living into practice.

Third, get coached! The tools above are a start, but sometimes the barriers to what we’re trying to create in our lives are so deeply rooted that it can be hard to uncover and work through them on your own.

Just like my coaches have done for me, I can help you get to the root of what is standing between you and what you want to create in your life, and then craft your plan to get you there. 

Having expert support in making changes and fulfilling your goals can make all the difference. To get started, book your free consultation with me here. This is a friendly, no-obligation session where we’ll get to know each other and discuss what you hope to get from my coaching program.

Where could being more intentional