But First, Pause

One of the most effective, powerful ways to live a life of satisfaction and authenticity is to live it with intention. Intentionality involves a plan; something you are aiming at or striving for. It requires thought, and not just thought but forethought. You can’t aim towards something you haven’t identified and you can’t accomplish a plan if you don’t know what the goal is.

We live in a very loud, very demanding, very intrusive world. Endless interruptions, countless vies for your attention, deafening claims of what your life should look like, be filled with, and be defined by. If we allow it to, this world will steamroll us, leaving us exhausted, burnt out, and living each day vacillating between disengagement, discontentment, and feeling disenchanted by what life turned out to be.

But what if it doesn’t have to be that way?

What if you could choose how you spend your time, energy, resources, attention, and pursuits rather than having them dictated to you?

What if you could be presented with a decision and, before taking action, you paused. You considered. And you first asked a powerful little question - “Why?”

Why am I about to choose this?

Why am I about to spend money on this?

Why am I about to give my time to this?

Why am I about to give this my attention and my energy?

By pausing and asking yourself why you’re about to do something, you introduce intention into the mix. With intention, you are able to make deliberate, meaningful decisions that are in alignment with your values, goals, and the direction you want your life to go. Rather than just immediately jumping into a decision, you pause to consider whether it lines up with who you want to be and what you want your life to be filled with. It is then that you begin to live with authenticity; with conviction and purpose rather than just reaction and being tossed along by the whims of the world around you. And it is then that your life will begin to feel satisfying and contentment will begin to take root. Not because everything will suddenly go exactly how you want it to but because you are living in compatibility with your personal convictions, values, and goals.

So next time you are faced with a decision, pause. Exercise that powerful little question, “Why?”. And then move in the direction that falls in line with what you’re aiming for. Resist the whims and choose the life you want to live.

Learning how to live with intention can feel overwhelming. It involves identifying what is meaningful to you (and, equally as important, what isn't), establishing heathy boundaries, and having the courage to choose something that may go against the social current. Sometimes we need help knowing how and where to even begin. I would love to come alongside you and help you achieve positive, lasting changes in your life. Let’s connect over a cup of coffee (in person or virtually) and explore how I can best support you!