Beyond mindfulness: Living with intention
Savoring the sweetness of a freshly picked berry, basking in the afternoon sun, listening to children playing – such small events, yet so enjoyable.
Mindfulness brings awareness to the moment and can promote everything from peace and calm to joy and bliss, making it an exceptional tool for health and happiness in today’s world.
But what if you could take mindfulness one step further and create a life that complements those beautiful conscious moments?
You can, and it all starts with intention.
Reaching beyond what we already know about ourselves can be overwhelming (especially when we have limiting beliefs), but consistent intentional actions that coincide with our values can cultivate the life we’ve always wanted.
How can one learn to live mindfully with intention?
Self-assess
A fundamental part of becoming who we want to be is assessing who we are right now, what’s important to us, and how we envision the future.
Helpful questions can be:
- Who am I? What characteristics am I comprised of?
- What core values do I hold and want to express?
- What do I love about myself that I’d like to expand on?
- How do I want to show up in the world?
- Who do I want to show up in the world as?
Reflection can be both eye-opening and healing so dedicate time for this activity.
Connect intentions to choices
Once intentions are defined, daily choices can reflect them.
Mindful selections in the following areas should reflect the values you hold and allow for expression of who you are:
- health
- job/career
- relationships/family
- money
- daily responsibilities
For example, if health is a priority to you, how are your choices supporting your:
- diet
- exercise regimen
- sleep routine
- digestive system
- stress management capabilities
Think about what daily choices reflect who you want to be and what is important to you.
Practice with integrity and consistency
Connecting our intentions to choices is not always easy, but with consistency and integrity, mindful actions can become automatic.
Developing new habits can take anywhere from a week to a year, with the average around 2 months, so remember:
- small things can make a big difference
- be patient with yourself (aim for progress, not perfection)
- check in with how you feel before, during and after making that new choice
- limit comparison to others
- find support if needed
Furthermore, ensure your actions have healthy reasons – such as that they align with your principles and are positive for yourself and for the greater good – and hold yourself accountable.
Living intentionally envelops the notion that no matter who is (or isn’t) watching, your behaviors are consistently in line with your values. To strive for this, discover who it is you want to be, make each action a reflection of your values, end the comparison of yourself and others, and keep it consistent for the life you’ve always wanted to live.
The choice is yours. May it be an intentional one.