Living Intentionally: The Magic Of Doing What You Love

Let’s be honest-life is busy. Even if you don’t go to a 9-5 job, there are still so many tasks and so many responsibilities to be handled on a daily basis that it is easy to fall into routines that are dull, repetitive and don’t bring any spark or joy to your day to day. If you work full time, the busyness can be overwhelming. It is easy to lose sight of what really matters. Most of us move through our days on autopilot without giving what we are doing much thought. Before we know it, we are just going through the motions doing what we think we are supposed to do without making any time to do what we may actually want to do. What if it could be different? What if we could start making a little space for things that light us up? That is what living intentionally is all about. It is about choosing to make time to do more of what you love-on purpose. It is about making it a priority to carve out a little time in your busy life to do things that fulfill you and make you happy. We all have responsibilities, but shouldn’t spending a little time doing what we love be one of them? Shouldn’t we all strive to live intentionally?

Living intentionally is about slowing down, sitting back and asking yourself “What really matters to me?” “What would I really like to do or learn?” It is not about being perfect or having it all figured out. It’s about thinking about some things you would really love to add to your day to day and figuring out how to make it happen. It doesn’t have to be anything big or monumentally life changing. Start small, and in time you will find that it can add up to some really big changes.

Here is a list of things that many people do when starting to live intentionally. Maybe this will motivate you to start making small changes on your personal journey to a more fulfilling life.

• Spend time thinking about your values, your beliefs and what you want your purpose to be.
• Journaling regularly can help you process your thoughts and emotions.
• Set small meaningful goals, for example, maybe you would like to spend more time reading, set a goal to read for 30 minutes each evening before bed.
• If there is an activity or skill you are interested in, spend some time researching and learning about it. If you want to learn to knit or paint, for example, take a class.
• Practice mindful decision making. Learn to say no if you need to. Saying no is powerful. Choose, as much as possible, how to spend your time.
• Stop putting energy into relationships that do not serve you. Pour into those people that pour into you and stop wasting your precious energy on toxic people and relationships.
• Set clear intentions each morning, planning to spend a little time on something you would like to do instead of spending the entire day only doing what has to be done. Plan your day around priorities instead of tasks and this will inevitably free up a little you time.
• Disconnect regularly. Have tech free time in your day. This is a tough one but is so worth it. The people around you will appreciate it and it will free up a surprising amount of time.
• Make a list of things you would like to STOP doing. Let go of time wasting activities and unnecessary commitments.
• Make a list of things you would like to START doing. Reading, crafting, spending more quality time with friends and family or writing to name a few. What would your list look like?
• Be grateful and appreciative of the things and the people in your life that bring you joy. Tell your people that you appreciate and love them often.

When all is said and done, living intentionally does not mean you have to have the perfect plan, it just means you are more aware of what you do. We all have busy lives and, most definitely, there are those amongst us who have very big responsibilities, but we can all take a moment to choose joy and spend a little time doing the things we love. When you start doing more of what you love, even in small ways, your life will start to feel a little more yours. Everyday won’t feel magical, there won’t always be time to pursue your passions, but when you make choices with intention, there WILL be a subtle shift in the overall quality of your day to day. You are worth the effort! There is a unique magic in simply showing up for the life you truly want and doing the things you truly want to do. Go out and create more moments that feel like you! ❤

If you are interested in doing a deeper dive on this subject, I have linked 3 bestselling books below that many people have found helpful and enlightening. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. No additional cost to you. 😊

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Lesshttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0804137404?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mrshovland64-20&linkId=0b3ded17504c00388a48386a78423a79&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tlhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0804137404?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mrshovland64-20&linkId=0b3ded17504c00388a48386a78423a79&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

The Best-Selling Series, 2 Books Collection Set. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, Eat Pray Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilberthttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/163799334X?smid=A2VKMAELCP6XZ0&psc=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mrshovland64-20&linkId=954442e47e6d3b678d9e5299b752d00e&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tlhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/163799334X?smid=A2VKMAELCP6XZ0&psc=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mrshovland64-20&linkId=954442e47e6d3b678d9e5299b752d00e&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

The Art of Noticing: 131 Ways to Spark Creativity, Find Inspiration, and Discover Joy in the Everydayhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0525521240?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mrshovland64-20&linkId=d8bb610bdfeeb639a5de01ecc0e87161&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tlhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0525521240?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mrshovland64-20&linkId=d8bb610bdfeeb639a5de01ecc0e87161&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl