Tips for Living Intentionally
Tips for Living Intentionally
By Kristen Marie Schuerlein
How does one live “intentionally?” To me, it means setting goals and making deliberate choices about the life I want to live. It’s recognizing my talents and the gifts I have to offer the world, and being thankful for the things the world has given to me. I am living a life I love and can’t help but share what I’ve learned along the way so that others can live lives they love as well. Here are a few tips to get you started:
> Listen to your intuition. We all have that little voice inside talking away. Did you know you can actually train this little voice? When we tune in to what it’s saying, and we watch for evidence that it’s guiding us, we build the muscle to listen even more intently, and we learn to trust it. I have found using my intuition creates amazing results.
> Own that you are one of a kind. There is only one you and one me, and that’s a big deal if you think about it. We each have gifts to give the world that no one else has. Share your insights, talents, ideas, love, and kindness with us. I believe we all owe that to one another to be our extraordinary selves.
> Develop a personal mantra. “I am clear, calm and confident.” “My day unfolds with ease and grace”. “I can obtain it”. Developing a mantra is a powerful way to stay connected to our heart’s desire. Repeat your mantra whenever feeling challenged, overwhelmed or doubtful about where you are headed. It helps to stay focused on what you’re committed to and the results that you’re working toward. Consider creating mantras for all areas of life – personal, financial, physical and spiritual.
> Decide who you are willing to listen to. We all have so many external influences in our lives, and sometimes it’s easy to think that we don’t have a choice about them, but we do. Living intentionally means we get to design our lives from the top, down and from the inside, out. When you have a clear vision of what your heart desires, making ‘tough’ decisions gets very very easy.
> Actively make time to be still. Sometimes we get so caught up in our goals and commitments that we become overwhelmed or otherwise not well. We may blame it on work or stress, but it’s really a matter of taking some time so be still – to stop and care for ourselves. The rest of the world will keep moving along. Taking the time to be still and regroup allows us to return better than before.
> Have gratitude. Being thankful for what you have allows for the attraction of more good things! What we focus on expands. If you concentrate on only the disappointments or negative things facing you, you’ll just get more of it. Being grateful opens our eyes to great opportunities.
Living intentionally may seem like a demanding endeavor, and it is. It requires your participation! Getting these tips into action each day is the first step of living a life by design. I encourage you to listen to your heart’s desire and have the courage move in that direction. The pay off – a life you love – is well worth the time and effort.
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Kristen Marie Schuerlein is a serial entrepreneur who has a knack for translating ideas into businesses, brands and business development strategies. She is the co-owner of Design Duo Inc, a graphic design and marketing company in Seattle, and she is a co-founder of The Gift, a movement centered around The Law of Contribution. Additionally she is a sought after coach and speaker with a passion for people building businesses that they love. Contact her at kristen (at) designduoinc.com.
