10 Ways to Live an Intentional Life

Learn how to transform your life by releasing busy and embracing simple productivity and living

To listen to the podcast version, click here.

Intentional living to me is transforming your life through simple, meaningful action. Many times we focus solely on external goals. We have this big-picture vision for where we want to be in life, but the gap between that future picture and our present life often causes anxiety and depression. We worry about how we’re going to get “there”. We’re depressed because we’re not “doing enough”. But, intentional living is about focusing on the day at hand, the week within sight. Intentional living is doing what you can with what you have, celebrating the small wins while also having an appreciation for where you’re not and what you can’t change. Intentional living is accepting that I don’t have to do and be everything today. I’m human. God is God. And, God can do more with my less.

Intentional living isn’t a buzzword I’ve attached myself to. It’s literally become a lifeline through my own spiritual, mental, relational, and physical health journey. It’s kept me going when I’ve wanted to quit. It’s brought peace in places where there was previously shame. It’s kept me content in the present vs. anxious about the future. So, today I want to share how I’m embracing intentional living.

Before I get into these 10 actions, please don’t get overwhelmed feeling like you have to do every single one of these things every day or every week. I’m not even doing these things every single day. This is more so to give you ideas for how you can live more intentionally in your day-to-day. So, feel free to implement one and save the rest for when your schedule and soul can allow. Cool?

Alright, let’s get started —

1 | morning pages

Morning Pages is a practice I learned from reading, The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. When you first wake up, grab a notebook and journal 3 pages of whatever comes to mind. Allow it to be random. By doing this practice, I start my day with a clear head. Sometimes my morning pages bring healing. Sometimes I can hear God’s voice bringing clarity through my pages. Sometimes it’s the most random thoughts that have nothing to do with anything. It’s a practice that’s just between you and you, and God can see it too. These pages can’t be judged or critiqued. It’s just free-flow writing, whatever comes to mind. But don’t be surprised when ideas and things you should explore more start coming to the surface. You can learn more about morning pages here.

2 | do one thing you want to do before doing what you have to do

Whether it’s reading 10 pages of a fiction book, going for a morning walk, cooking my favorite breakfast, or writing for an hour before work, I like to do at least one thing that I WANT to do before I hop into what I have to do. Especially with having a corporate career & business, it sometimes feels like most of my day goes toward my duties. Taking just a few minutes to do something for me before I give my time and energy to everyone else for the next 8 hours really sets the tone for the day, and I don’t feel robbed.

3 | give yourself permission for slow or low energy days

We equate productivity to being busy, but the two are not the same. This is why I love intentional living so much. Instead of just doing a bunch of tasks to qualify me as a “girl boss”, I’m more intentional with my time. I leave room for downtime — watching Netflix, going out with friends, watching Youtube vlogs, or scrolling through Pinterest or TikTok.

Every moment of the day doesn’t have to be dedicated to my work or goals. Leave room on your schedule for God to move on your behalf, and focus on intentional tasks vs. busy work.

I’m also giving myself permission for low-energy days. For example, Mondays are typically my most productive days. But, Tuesdays can often be my lazy days, my moody days, and I don’t quite have the same energy as I did Monday, and that’s okay. On days, when I can’t do strength training, I go to the gym and walk on the treadmill. Instead of beating myself up, I listen to my body. It’s not always about intensity but about the intention behind each daily activity.

On my low energy days, I tend to do more journaling and reflection, putting my feelings and thoughts down on paper and accepting them vs. trying to immediately “fix” them. Again, feelings are neutral, and they’re often trying to reveal something to you. When I allow myself to have a “struggle” day, that’s when a friend will “randomly” call me out of the blue or “randomly” send me a quote or something encouraging will “randomly” pop up on my feed.

I truly believe these low energy and slow days are God’s way of allowing me to work from a place of rest -- seeing His Hand at work in my daily life by relying on His strength and confirmations when I feel weak or powerless.

4 | allow for spontaneity — life is about more than following rituals & schedules

Sometimes, when I’m super anxious throughout my workday, I take a break and go for a 2 hr drive with no destination. Or, I may go find a new coffee shop to finish my work. I randomly go out with friends for drinks, dinner, and girl talk on the couch after. I binge-read books and series on Netflix.

Intentional living isn’t always about sticking to a script; it’s about being present and living in the moment. We often ruminate about the future. But, allow the unplanned to reveal and refresh you in the now. It never fails whenever I randomly walk into a coffee shop that I leave inspired. Or, I leave a random hangout with a friend feeling refreshed.

If we’re not careful, our schedules can be tools for us to control every aspect of our lives, causing unnecessary pressure and anxiety that we have to have everything figured out. Allow for a spontaneous getaway. Go for the drive, and see what clarity comes when you clear your mind. Shake up your routine. Life is to be experienced, not controlled. In reality, you were never in control to begin with, and if you’re willing to accept that, spontaneity can bring so much peace, joy, and gratitude to your life.

5 | prioritize mindfulness

Mindfulness is something I see talked about on social media a lot, and recently my therapist brought it up as well. Mindfulness is simply paying attention to how your mind, body, and emotions are feeling in a particular moment.

One day, my therapist told me, “When you’re sad, and you try to block the sad feeling, it actually makes you feel even sadder. Your body thinks you’re in trouble, and that’s how anxious thoughts begin. And, when the anxious thoughts begin, you cannot rationalize your feelings because your brain is now switched to survival mode. Trying to block those sad feelings tells your brain and body something is wrong. So instead of blocking the sad feeling, take note of it. Ask yourself or jot down what you’re sad about. Pay attention to how you feel. Allow the feeling to pass as if you’re placing it on a leaf and watching it flow down the stream of a river. And, watch how that sad feeling is less likely to spiral into a sad day.”

I’ve learned from my therapist that feelings flow; they’re neither good nor bad. They can be good teachers, but they are not facts. So, instead of beating yourself up when you feel sad or unproductive, allow the feeling to flow. That gives it less power to derail you, but it can also reveal what’s truly happening within.

So throughout my day, I’m taking more notice of my emotions, and therefore they’re less likely to overtake me. This note, I’m still working through. But, taking time for deep breathing throughout the day and acknowledging my feelings while also allowing them to pass has been really helpful. I’ll keep you posted!

6 | be in spaces where you can be inspired

Intentional living is about embracing the fullness of life, not the limitations of your work. With most of us working from home, or our days being filled with going to work then coming home, it’s no wonder we sometimes feel blocked. Maybe we’re constantly hanging around the same people and only doing what makes us feel comfortable. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I’m learning to get out of my comfort zone to be in spaces where I feel inspired. For example, I try to go on weekly artist dates. Artist Dates are another tool I learned from The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Essentially, an artist date is where you take yourself on a solo date once a week. You can check out a new restaurant, maybe a local excursion, or you can do an artsy project at home. There’s no limit or rule; it’s just a solo date every week doing something outside of your regular schedule. Through this practice again, I can be inspired by all life has to offer.

7 | daily recap -- document the everyday God winks, the little confirmations, & the little nudges that are worth exploring

In addition to my morning pages, I think it’s essential to do a daily recap. Even if it’s only one sentence about how the day went. I recently did a Youtube video on iPad apps I use for planning and journaling. One of the apps I use for journaling is the Day One app. Every night, I have a reminder on my phone at 10:15 pm reminding me to recap my day. Sometimes, I add one picture. Sometimes, I just jot down what happened. Sometimes, I do a voice memo or video note. And, I love that I can scroll to see just what has happened over the month. When the end of January came, I felt like I hadn’t done enough, but when I went back through the app, I was able to remind myself of the habits I started, the fun I had, the work I put in while having an appreciation for the tough days too.

8 | prioritize being vs. doing

Being VS doing is really just allowing your inner identity to influence your external actions. So instead of measuring your productivity based on your external tasks, you allow your inner identity to be the driver for what you do. I am a feminine woman; therefore, I treat others and myself externally with care; I lead from a space of grace yet strength that motivates my daily actions. Being vs. doing requires inward reflection. Who are you beyond the external titles? How can you be more in tune with your identity allowing your external actions to reflect your level of self-awareness? Affirmations are really helpful with this because it affirms the inner you. By affirming who you are internally, you can show up from a place of confidence externally.

9 | invest in convenience, don’t feel like you have to do everything by yourself

As a single woman, people have said things like, “It’s just you; why do you struggle with doing certain things yourself?” I truly believe that God gives us grace for our specific seasons. As someone working on my physical health, prioritizing my mental health, building a business, trying to make time for hobbies, friends, and personal creativity, while balancing a full-time job, I’ve realized that being a self-made superwoman isn’t a trophy I strive for anymore.

So yes, I’ve given myself permission to have someone come and clean my place from time and time. And yes, it’s only a 2bed apartment, but just because I can doesn’t mean I have to. It’s about being intentional. I can spend an entire day cleaning myself or have someone clean my place in 2 hours while I work so that my time can be freed up to do other things. A couple of times a month, I may invest in a meal prep service for the week. Sometimes, I invest in getting my nails and hair done by someone else. I understand the privilege of being able to do that, and I think that we can all find small ways to embrace receiving help. Maybe it’s grabbing already prepped meals from the local grocery store. Maybe it’s prioritizing self-care. Maybe it’s getting help for your business. Maybe it’s communicating a need for support from a friend. Again, how can you spend your time intentionally in your day to day?

10 | prioritize networking and community

One of my goals this year is to build the tribe I need for this season. My friendships and priorities look very different from my friendships a year ago. Being intentional about building a tribe doesn’t take away from the space your day one friends hold in your heart. But, I’m realizing that for me to really see progress, I need to stop trying to put the pieces together myself and allow for more community and accountability. This doesn’t mean you have to gain new friends; maybe it’s just communicating your needs and being more vulnerable with the ones you currently have.

I also learned this concept from the Four Tendencies book by Gretchen Rubin that explores your internal and external motivations. Based on your tendency, you earn how to be more productive by understanding what truly motivates you. There’s also a free quiz that you can take. By taking the quiz and reading the book, I learned that I’m an Obliger — meaning that I’m more privy to meet a goal if there’s an external expectation or accountability vs. relying on my own motivation.

Meaning I’m more likely to work out consistently if I have an accountability partner vs. just being self-motivated. I’m more likely to be more successful in my business because of my clients’ needs vs. my own. If I want to write and create more this year, I’m more likely to be motivated by “someone needs to hear this” or “I’m serving others through my writing” or joining a writing group vs. just relying on my own interest or talent as a writer.

The Four Tendencies book really set me free because I wondered why it was always easier for me to do for others than it was to do for myself. Through this book, I learned that the way to meet my own goals and expectations is to build accountability and community in the areas I want to work on. So, this year, I really need accountability and community with my fitness goals. I thought about joining a creative writing group, and maybe even getting back into a church community, even if it’s not in the traditional setting. More to come 🙂

Wrapping Up //

So, yeah, here are 10 ways I’m embracing intentional living this year based on my internal values and priorities. I encourage you to take note of your own values and think through how you can align your being and your schedule to truly be productive through simple, meaningful action.

What are some ways you’re embracing intentional or purposeful living this year? Have you noticed yourself shifting from being busy to being more intentional?

If you need some external accountability or coaching, or maybe you need assistance planning and executing your next project, I’m happy to announce that my consulting agency, WorkRedefined, is accepting new clients. We help our clients launch purposeful & profitable projects, streamline their operations, and align their work to what they love. So, if you need support in any of these areas, check out our website workredefinedconsulting.com, or you can visit my website, melaniechristina.org.

I look forward to intentionally serving you through my content, stories, and services this year!

Till next time!

Mel.