It has been a few months since I posted on this blog. I have a list of excuses that I could give you all, but let's just chop it down to these three:
Work got crazy
Family health issues
Exhaustion
I think we can all relate on some level. Things slide to the back-burner when real deal crisis happens. I will probably post more about the family business at a later time, but for now--let's get to today's topic.
What is intentional living and why are we talking about it?
I want to live a life full of meaning and purpose. There, I said it.
Because of the situations I have been going through over the last couple of months, I found myself doing a few unhealthy things, including severe compartmentalization, becoming withdrawn, ignoring my desires to be creative, and not being mindful all around. I am very much the person that wants to take care of the people I love and spare them the weight of my own emotional responses to fear or sorrow. This has not served me well, I will tell you. Doing things on your own all the time will inevitably come back to bite you on the ass.
The truth is, I have never really been mindful of my emotional needs. I bottle things up and repress them; everyone just sees the smiling, happy face they have come to know. But now that my 31st birthday is on the horizon, I have been really considering the toxic responses I allow and relationships I have. What purpose do these serve me, if not always bringing me misery?
So, I decided to live with intention. And I have picked up a few tenets that will help me adjust how I live life on my own terms.
Be present and wholeheartedly engaged in the moment.
Practice mindfulness, and be aware of the space of myself and others.
Adjust expectations, don't make assumptions, and allow myself to be surprised.
Regard my own unique talents and gifts with respect, and allow them to flourish.
Figure out what is truly important.
Find my own life's meaning and let that purpose drive me forward.
It may seem like a lot, but really...is it?
I don't want to live my life with this weight on my shoulders. I am tired of "you should do this because it worked for x,y,z." I don't want to be stifled creatively. I want to live as truthfully as possible so that I may achieve my ultimate potential.
I believe that every person's actions, big or small, ripple out and can impact the world and the people around them. I don't want my ripples to turn into devastating tidal waves that harm others; I want to contribute to the overall current of the sea we live in and potentially help others swim out past the safety of the shore in order to make ripples of their own.
*cue to Kumbaya*
In so little words: in my short time here on earth, I want to make the most of my life. And when someone puts up a headstone for me one day, I don't want anyone to wonder what it was that I did with my many years. It will read plain as day:
She lived.
I am challenging you to live your life with a little more intention, too. I've made a sheet that you can download, print off, and tack up on your fridge or bulletin board. (Or just save to Pinterest if you really want to get wild!) I hope this small list can change your life for the better. I know it already has started to change mine.
Click image to download a high-res version!