Intentional Living
What is Intentional Living? You ask.
We know all too well that American culture is fast paced and forward moving. We are focused on how to make as much money as possible in a short period of time; this is what fuels capitalism.
During the pandemic there was a shift towards remote work from home. For some, this shift allowed them to slow down and appreciate aspects of their life that would have otherwise been missed. They were able to cook more, spend time with their loved ones, help their children with homework, engage in hobbies, exercise more, etc. For others, their work load increased as their employer felt a loss of control with employees not on site. More meetings were scheduled and required attendance meant longer work days with a backlog of work that seemingly got pushed to off hours and weekends. For those balancing this workload with caring for children or other loved ones, they began to see themselves intermittently bobbing up for gasps of air in between all the tasks.
The vision for intentional living was born out of my previous focus on stress management and work with my clients. I found that some people were more readily able to practice self care when they felt themselves gasping for the proverbial air, but that creating a lifestyle that was sustainable enough to begin to help them think about the bigger picture was much less likely. This meant that a lot of our work was in the area of “lower vibrational” focused on surviving rather than thriving. When we think about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, issues of psychological and physical safety are at the bottom of the pyramid with issues of self actualization at the top. Which means if we are constantly focused on how to just get through our day, week, month, year then we never get to the higher vibrational questions of “What do I want out of my life?” “What makes me truly happy?” “What makes me light up inside?”
And therein lies the answer to your question. Intentional Living has three main tenants:
- Mindfulness – The ability to be conscious and aware of thoughts, feelings and desires. An ability to connect with the five senses and be present in the moment. In this stillness we ask questions such as “What do I really want out of my life?” “If I were to dream out loud, what would I say?”
- Action – This is where the rubber begins to meet the road so to speak. We ask ourselves the following questions “What do I need to begin to put the wheels in motion?” “Are there shifts in my daily life that could help bring ease?” “Are there changes I need to make that will help set me up for success?” “Are there people I need to reach out to or things I would like to do that will bring me closer to that feeling I desire inside?”
- Co-create – We do not find happiness in a bubble. This is why mental health issues sky rocketed during the pandemic. We are meant to be in community and feel a connection to the larger whole of the world. We begin to let go of the control on the “how” of it all and instead begin to do the things that bring us in connection with a sense of community and spirituality. We raise our energetic vibration through spending time in nature, expanding our social networks, moving our bodies daily, eating the foods that create sustaining energy, engaging in hobbies and acts of gratitude and altruism. We become that of which we seek. And by doing so, we are attracted to and are attracting higher vibrational energy.
When we say “I wish I had time to do that,” we are telling ourselves that we do not matter. Tell yourself that over and over and not mattering in your own life becomes your reality. All it takes is the willingness and effort to turn the wheel and head down a different path saying “Adios” to your old worn out ways of being!
Stay tuned for more details on how you can join me in living a life full of intention!