Living Intentionally

We live in a society that does not live intentionally. Capitalism, fast food, most things wrapped in plastic, the 40 hour work week (this was designed specifically for working men who had wives at home to cook, clean, care for children… but I digress), leave little room for conscious or intentional living. The fast paced lifestyle that the majority of the population participates in keeps spinning, with no thought as to what changes could allow them to live more as the most authentic and aligned version of themselves.

Intentional living is understanding your fundamental values, then actively building, and living your life to be in line with those values. The first step in order to live intentionally is to be grounded in who YOU are, and what intentional living means to you. It requires really checking in with yourself, and having conscious action behind what you do.

Being able to get in touch with our morals, and values oftentimes involves asking ourselves hard questions. Are there moments you reflect on that were especially meaningful to you? Are there moments when you felt like you were unable to authentically express yourself? Why are your friends the ones you choose to have around you? Why do you spend your time the way you do? Does your job, your friends, your diet, the books you read, what you wear, support those values? By examining what lights your soul on fire, we can begin to uncover our deepest values.

A lot of the time, the answers to these questions are not simple answers, and really do allow you to see what is, and isn’t working for becoming someone who lives with intention.

The action following the values can turn out to be the most difficult part. Even with thoughtful planning or journaling about your values, we must have action. It may be difficult because when we are able to uncover, and align with our values, it may be different from how you were raised, and different from what society expects.

Allowing ourselves to be fully integral with our morals helps us to connect with who we really, truly, and deeply are. The more we show up authentically, the more we are able to withstand when the harder parts of life show up. The most important thing to check in living with integrity is that it is, and always will be continually evolving. It looks different for everyone, and it is a continual practice to stay true to what fits best for us, in this moment.