Being Intentional: 15 Simple Ways to be Intentional in Life

We all want to live our lives with meaning and purpose. But what does it mean to be intentional with your life? 

Being intentional means living a life of purpose – your best life – instead of living someone else’s dream or trying to live up to expectations. When we are not being true to ourselves, we feel lost and don’t know how to find our way out. 

Many times we get so caught up in our life’s busyness that we forget why we are doing what we’re doing. We often lose sight of what makes us happy because there is so much going on around us. 

You might also like:

• 15 Proven Signs You’re Blinded by Love
• 25 Ways To Make Life Easier For You & Your Family
• A Simple Formula for Living a Meaningful & Happy Life
• Simple Ways To Be Intentional With Your Time, Energy & Money

What does it mean to be intentional

Being intentional means that you are living according to what truly makes you happy, even if it doesn’t match up with someone else’s definition of success.

It’s truly about living the best version of yourself so you can feel content and fulfilled. It means doing what you need to do in order to achieve your long-term goals. 

Remembering why we want to achieve our goals is key because it keeps us motivated on our path to success.

Being intentional with your life is about taking responsibility for what you do and who you become, and living a life that aligns with your core values so mission, vision, and true purpose are fulfilled.

Are you ready to simplify your life?

What are the benefits of being intentional

There are countless benefits of being intentional with your life, including:

• Being capable of making enough time for the important activities that matter to you most 
• Having clarity on what you want, and better decision making skills 
• Being able to stay focused throughout the day, which boosts productivity levels 
• Decreased levels of stress and anxiety because you are not spending time worrying about things that don’t matter
• Feeling fulfilled when you achieve what you set out to do 
• Having important relationships that are built on trust and authenticity
• Feeling capable of doing what you want to do, instead of just reacting to the things that come your way
• Greater self awareness because you’ve spent time digging deep and understanding your behaviour, thoughts, and actions
• Being purposeful so you are being true to yourself

15 Simple ways to be intentional every day

1. Keep your goals in mind 

Having an idea of your clear goals is the first step to being more intentional with your life. It gives you direction and keeps you motivated on your path to success. 

This small step allows you to be the best version of yourself In order to do this, you have to create a vision board of what you want your end goal to look like in 5, 10 or even 15 years. You can get really detailed about it and include pictures of your dream house, your ideal job etc. 

Setting a schedule for your week will help you to get more done without feeling overwhelmed. Without having an action plan, it’s easy to let days slip by while you are doing things that don’t align with what’s important to you 

It allows you plan the things on which you want to focus, and not spend time on things that don’t matter.

2. Live in the present moment

When you are in the moment, you stay focused and nothing else matters. It allows you to enjoy the time with your best friends and family instead of worrying about other things, such as what’s going on at work or what you have to do next week. 

If you are not present in the moment, it’s easy to get distracted and achieve less than what you wanted.

By being present in the moment, it allows you to feel grateful for everything that is going well and be more aware of opportunities around you that you wouldn’t normally notice if your mind was elsewhere.

3. Look after your health

If you are not in good health, it’s more difficult to be intentional with your daily life. When you are feeling great, your self-esteem levels are at their highest and this provides you with the energy to go out there and do whatever it’s that will make you happy. 

Take time for yourself every day in order to recharge your batteries. Practice self-care and be mindful of how you’re feeling on a daily basis. Make time for physical activities to boost your endorphin levels.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet and make sure you’re staying hydrated by drinking enough water. 

Only by taking care of your mental and physical health will you live the best version of yourself.

4. Declutter your life

Having less things to worry about is easier said than done. We live in a fast paced world where it can be hard to keep up with everything that needs doing, which means there are lots of opportunities for stress and anxiety to build up.

Start by deciding what you really need, then reduce your belongings down to this number only. If you haven’t used something for a long time, you don’t need it.

Once you have decluttered your life and only keep the things that matter to you most, you feel less stressed out because there aren’t as many things going on in your mind.

Try the following posts for help with decluttering your life:

• How To Get Motivated To Clean When Overwhelmed By Mess
• How To Be Ruthless When Decluttering Clothes: An Essential Guide
• How To Declutter Your House In One Day: Room To Room

5.  Assess your priorities

You need to know what’s important to you in your life because this makes it easier for you to make decisions. 

For example, if being healthy is an important priority for you, then you would be more likely to work out regularly and have a balanced diet. If being financially stable was important, then you would spend less money on junk food and more money on your savings account.

Your main priority may be to spend time with those who mean the most to you, your friends and family members. 

By knowing what your top priorities in life are, you can make sure that you work towards being intentional and achieving them.

6. Disconnect from social media

Social media has been designed to keep you hooked into checking your notifications, which means that it isn’t a very healthy pastime. 

When you spend too much time on social media, it’s easy to compare yourself with others and feel worse about yourself. Social media can also make you feel resentful towards what other people have going on in their lives.

We need to set limits on how much time you spend online, because it can be easy to get addicted to using social media for hours at a time 

By disconnecting from social media, you are more likely to feel happy with life and enjoy the company of those around you.

7. Practice gratitude

When you are feeling grateful, it reduces feelings of stress and if your mind is full of worries, then you are far less likely to be intentional with your life and feel contented.

When you practice gratitude, the following things happen: 

• You experience a sense of awe from being grateful. This is because when you focus on the positive things in your life, it makes them more real to you and enhances your happiness levels. 
• You will feel grateful for the people around you that support you unconditionally. 
• You experience a sense of safety because you are aware that there are still good things in your life even if there are some bad ones too.

Take time every day to think about what you’re grateful for and write it down. Some examples include: your health, the roof over your head, the people that love you and the food on your plate. 

Read also: How To Be Happy With What You Have: 7 Secret Steps

8. Mind your money

Being intentional financially is crucial because it means that you can achieve your long-term financial goals, whether it’s being able to do something you’ve always wanted to or reaching financial minimalism.

If you don’t mind how much money you spend and what you spend it on, then there is a good chance that you will struggle to save up for big purchases such as a house or car.

Be mindful about how you spend your money and make sure your purchases are intentional and not spur of the moment and unnecessary. 

9. Make time for the simple things 

By making time for the simple things in life, you are more likely to be happy with what you have. 

Spending time on the simple things – such as getting out in nature, watching a movie with your family – means that it’s easier to notice the little joys every day and appreciate them.

Building an intentional lifestyle means taking time out of your busy schedule to do the simple things that you enjoy. Try to make sure that you spend some time on yourself and with your loved ones every day, doing something that will benefit your health and wellbeing.

Read also: Don’t Take Life For Granted: 15 Ways To Enjoy The Simple Things In Life

10. Stop comparing yourself to others

It’s important to know that you are unique and have your own skills, interests and principles.

If you compare yourself to other people too much, then you will start feeling as though there is a lack of purpose in your life.

By comparing yourself with others, you risk underestimating the value of being different from everyone else and going after your own dreams.

Be aware of how you compare yourself to others and when you do it too much, think about what makes you special and unique in your life. 

11. Practice forgiveness

A lot of people in your life may have wronged you but if you hold onto negative feelings, it will be harder for you to move on.

In order to be intentional with your life, you need to try to forgive others – and yourself. 

Forgiving others means that they don’t control your happiness – it’s something you start doing for yourself.

When you think about it, forgiveness doesn’t mean you are happy with what someone has done to you or that it’s okay for them to have hurt you in the first place. Instead, it means that they no longer have power over your feelings.

This positive mindset shift will help you in building a more intentional life for yourself. 

12. Meditate at night

The purpose of meditating is to make your mind calmer and more relaxed. It also gives you a sense of clarity. When you meditate, you’re not focusing on anything in particular, which means that your mind can wander freely.

Some people find it easier to meditate at night because they are free from distractions after a day of work.

For those who struggle with sleeping, meditation could be a great way for you to unwind before going to bed. It could help you achieve better sleep too, which will make your waking hours more productive and beneficial.

13. Minimise your to-do list

When you have too many tasks on your plate, it can be hard to focus and become intentional with your life.

Of course, we all have things that we need to do every day. Our daily routines may be necessary but that doesn’t mean that they’re not overwhelming.

Try to minimise your to-do list by making sure that what you’re doing is absolutely necessary and beneficial. And delegate things that you don’t necessarily have to do yourself! That way, you can place intentional focus on the tasks that are most important and use your time more intentionally.

14. Work towards a work-life balance

Working and living intensely at the same time can lead to burnout. It’s important to make sure you achieve a work-life balance if you want to live intentionally.

While it’s easier said than done and we can’t just give up our jobs, it’s still possible for us to work towards a better balance.

Make sure that you take regular breaks throughout the day and get enough sleep every night. Don’t let your job consume all of your time and energy. Take some time off now and then to spend doing the things you love with the people you love. This is how you can make sure you have a better work-life balance and your job doesn’t consume every aspect of your life. 

15. Create healthy habits

By making conscious choices, such as exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet, and getting enough sleep, you’ll be intentionally creating healthy habits which are all important for a healthier lifestyle. 

These types of habits will not only help you physically but will also help with your emotional and mental health. They’ll give you the energy and motivation required to be intentional with your life and make it easier to achieve your goals.

PIN FOR LATER

My final thoughts on living intentionally

Are you ready to become a more intentional person? 

In the midst of a life full of fast-paced decisions and hectic schedules, it can be difficult to be intentional with your life. But being intentional is one thing that will benefit you immensely.

Making intentional choices is the best way to grow, build a happier life and be successful. It’s something that can be done in many ways in your everyday life.

Take a moment to reflect on your life and think about what you can do to be more intentional each day.

I hope this article has helpful tips for you. Please share it with anyone you think might benefit from reading about living life intentionally.