So many of us are caught in what Steven Covey would call “the important/urgent” box of life (you know, doing the dishes, returning emails, cleaning out the garage), that we do not spend enough time making sure we are dong what is truly meaningful and purposeful in our lives – in other words, living with intention.
I teach, write and practice living an intentional life and still every day I am distracted by the small things that really are not important but pull my attention away from what is.
So what are the important things? That is the first thing to understand: what is truly important to you. Well, after researching “happiness” and “living with intention” (really the same thing), here is what I have discovered. When we make the following a priority we make good decisions for our lives and live with intention, which in turn creates a healthy and happy life:
- Know and live with your values.
- Know what your strengths and passions are in life and use them.
- Have a clear set of goals for yourself, your family, your business.
- Make your relationships your No. 1 priority in your life, including the one with yourself.
- Always be working on being the best version of yourself.
- Have an attitude of being grateful (our brain tends to focus on the negative, so we have to consciously shift this one).
- Have focus on something bigger than you.
What is key to understand is if we do not live with conscious intention, we will live with unconscious intention.
Living intentionally means making choices in how you choose to live on a day-by-day, minute-by-minute experience. You do not make excuses for yourself or your life. You “own” every aspect of your life.
Not as simple as it sounds, but dynamic when you get it. Studies show that people who live with these above ‘intentions’ are happier, healthier and more successful.
So it might be worth a try.
