LIVING WITH INTENTION

   Have you ever had an “ah-ha” moment? The type of moment when the two puzzle pieces finally fit together and you are overcome with relief, relaxation, and a little bit of excitement? It’s the moment you experience when you achieve something hard, or solve a mystery, or gain a little bit of clarity. It’s probably one of the most underrated feelings to ever exist.

Right now, you’re thinking, “underrated? Really?”

Absolutely.

     I call it underrated because not enough people are striving for these types of moments. How many of us get caught up with going through the motions of life, and get too comfortable to change, or strive to accomplish something more? Therefore, life consists of waking up, going to work, coming home to watch T.V., and then going to bed just to wake up and do the same thing over again. It sounds rather boring, doesn’t it? But how many of us get sucked into this way of living? And then we wonder why we feel sad, alone, and purposeless?

Of course, we do.

If we are just simply going through the motions, we aren’t really LIVING.

     In 2018 I moved to Grand Junction, Colorado with my brand-new husband for a job opportunity that he worked incredibly hard for. When this move first came up in conversation, I couldn’t even tell you where Grand Junction was on the map. I was slightly terrified, especially because I had never moved away from my family before. However, I was grateful for a new chapter of life. With this move, came the stress of a new job, knowing absolutely no one, and watching my friends from afar have the time of their lives without me. Before long, I was devastated, I was angry, and I was... decently irrational (Sorry Caleb).

I slowly fell into a slump.

     After a few weeks of just “going through the motions,” and not really living with any kind of purpose, my sweet husband, Caleb, sat me down and tenderly, but firmly told me that I needed to figure myself out because I was bringing everyone around me down. Was it a little harsh? Maybe... but was it necessary? Absolutely. That wake-up call was exactly what I needed to have that “lightbulb” moment. I soon realized that I was the one making my own life miserable. The only person I could blame was myself because I was the one throwing my own pity party.

     So, here’s my wake-up call addressed to you. If there is something right now in life that’s making you unhappy, change it. If you can’t change it, then change your attitude about it.

Mic Drop. Is that harsh? Yeah, probably.

     However, sooner than later, you’re going to have to realize that you are the pilot of your own airplane. Life is only as good as you make it! There are only two things in life that you can control.

Your attitude, and your effort.

Now that you have set all of your worries aside, how do you actually start living with intention?

Start by asking yourself the following questions-

• Do you have goals? Like, realistic, obtainable in the next 6 months, goals?

• Are you setting aside time for yourself to achieve these goals?

• How much time are you wasting? (Tiktok, TV, Instagram, procrastination)

• When is the last time you accomplished something really hard and felt amazing about it?

• Are you challenging yourself enough?

• Do you pick yourself back up after you fail or do you quit?

     Don’t get too overwhelmed. I’m not asking you to sign up and start training for a marathon. If you don’t know where to start, consider starting with a gratitude practice or by waking up an hour earlier to walk around the block or learn something new. Make time to work on YOURSELF, and you’ll find that your days will be filled with more joy and purpose.

     I’m not an expert, I’m not a therapist, and I certainly don’t claim to have all the answers. But I do know what it’s like to feel purposeless and meaningless. I had to do the work myself to change my perspective, and by making little changes to my daily habits, I figured out how to fill my life with more joy and meaning, and I want to help you do the same.

So, here’s to putting in the work to create the best version of ourselves.

Cheers!