Looking at my own life and the challenges I have faced, has brought me to the realization that I need to be intentional with my life. What direction do I want to go? Who do I want to become? What can I do or start now that will help me get there?

I have always done things because it was what I was ‘supposed’ to do. My father used to say that I was the peacekeeper in the family. I would load excess amounts of work or responsibility on myself just to keep peace in the family.

I have also just gone with the flow. I never made a plan for my future; it was always what I needed to do at that point in time. And on the very few occasions when I did make a plan for the future, I may have been for good reasons to do what I did, but it wasn’t what I truly wanted and, in the end, it left me feeling unfulfilled.

And now, as I am looking at a milestone birthday, I am wondering what all the peacekeeping and lack of planning has brought me to.

So, the question stands – How do you lead an intention life?

Here are some ways that I have used and will be using to help lead an intentional life.

• Have a heart to heart with yourself – reevaluate who you are, we all change with time – a little self-reflection never hurt.
• Having a hard time? Reflect on your past of what made you happy
• Clear the clutter – from your mind, home, emails
• Reevaluate what you want in life and what’s important? – a big house, new car, freedom to travel, time to play with kids, etc.
• With all of your to-dos – make ‘you’ a priority
• Write down what you want – remember this is about you, not everyone else
• Be aware of what you do and why you do it
• Make choices that move your life in the direction that makes you happy, find your purpose/your goal
• Remember sometimes it’s hard
• Every day choose to live intentionally

I also need to keep reminding myself that it is a process that takes time. Getting to where I want to be won’t happen overnight, it will take some work and patience.

Have a great day!

-D