Living with Intention
I have news for you guys, we are ALL doing too much and are missing what’s going on around us. How often do you switch from screen to screen on your iPhone and completely forget the original thing that you picked up your iPhone to do? That’s not multitasking, that is losing your mind slowly and doing tasks POORLY. (Just this moment I started writing this article and my phone buzzed…there’s a group chat about plans to travel to a wedding this weekend…I decide this is the perfect time to change my Bitmoji outfit from Viking hat to Ghostbusters…it feels more “Fall appropriate” to me…I go on a rampage to kill this tiny bug that has been flying around me all morning even though I feel bad taking its life…I decide I deserve a treat so I open up a bag of rice cakes because I’m being healthy and shit and then discover I’ve purchased the CRUMBLIEST rice cake ever and I shouldn’t be eating this on the couch but I do and I make a mental note to vacuum before my boyfriend comes home….) so NOW I’m back to writing and I’ve written more about why it’s hard to work from home as opposed to anything related to the topic…but SPOILER ALERT!!!! It has EVERYTHING to do with this topic. GOTCHA NERDS! Live your life with INTENTION. #BUGDEATH #CRUMBLYSNACKS
We need to be putting our phones away and engaging with the projects we have and the relationships in our lives. Peeps, if there is an emergency, someone will find a way to get ahold of you. The art of doing tasks in our lives with intention leaves you feeling more accomplished and grounded. It is a practice that more and more health and wellness professionals are talking about because it is a MINDSET shift that can drastically improve your health and happiness. SO PAY ATTENTION FO REAL DAMN IT!
Sure it might be awesome for a moment to have watched every episode of every show… (God was watching down on me and my roommate in that bleak but beautiful winter storm binge of 2009 when we watched ALL OF LOST in two weeks. For you math nerds out there that’s 92 hours!!!! (I had my eyeballs replaced shortly after). HOWEVER, there is LIFE outside! Know what you want out of your life, the time to decide is LITERALLY NOW.
First, NOTICE. Be mindful of your thoughts and actions and see what fills you with peace and purpose and what leaves you exhausted and empty. YOU can choose how you spend your time, what you eat, what new skills to learn, who to engage with, how to exert your energy, what environments you surround yourself with, and the direction in which you are headed. Uncover your values and prepare for resistance because change is hard for all of us and HATERS ARE GONNA HATE!
BE INTENTIONAL WITH…
- Who you are surrounding yourself with. Are your peeps smart, compassionate, hard working people who make you feel like you could conquer the world with them at your side? If not, find fucking real awesome people and dump the dummies. Life is too short to waste your time on shitty #SQUADGOALS.
- How you run your day. Have a routine, plan it out with productive and awesome things. Feel better when you meditate? Work out? Start the day with french press coffee and the gossip column? Do what makes you a bright happy human. Beyonce does it in 24 hours, SO CAN YOU.
- Your mental strength. Unless you are a very exceptional young reader, we have all figured out by now that life fucks with you on the regular. The ability to get back up when things don’t go to plan makes all the difference between someone who knows what they want and the weak bitches. Don’t be a weak bitch. Take the hard moments with fabulous grace and flare.
- Your goals. Know what you need to do and work towards it with intention. Even if it’s like “I will only eat vodka soaked gummy bears on Tuesdays.” Then DO IT! Your goals are YOURS. Make them happen.
- Your daily disciplines. What can you improv to create the life you want? Take responsibility and be aware of your strengths and weaknesses.
- Growth. There is accidental growth (I’m gonna drink and drive until I get caught and then I’ll learn my lesson) or INTENTIONAL GROWTH (I know I need to change something or learn something new to get where I want to be). BE OK WITH CHANGE. I know a lot of the time it sucks super hard. I myself go out in the world and try tons of new things, but at the end of the day I will still lean towards my comfort zones. Remember changing and growing is a positive thing.
- Your phone and social media. I keep harping on this but it’s true. We live in an instant gratification society so be mindful of managing your interruptions. Be intentional while you do tasks. It may sound silly but WHY are you doing this? Instagram can wait.
- Your relationships. LISTEN to your people. There is something magical that happens when you shut up and listen. Stop thinking of the next thing you could say or a story that relates to what the other person is talking to. Special secret: not only will you have more meaningful conversations with the ones you love, but you will be everyone’s favorite person because you were the one that made them feel HEARD. IT’S. THE. TITS.
Sure we will all fall off the bandwagon (probably daily) but living with intention is super cool and gives the lives we live meaning. Who wouldn’t want that? Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to erase the evidence of the snack crumbs.
Intentionally cleaning, Julia