When I decided to start this blog, I knew I wanted intentional living to be a major part of it’s foundation. I figured many of the people who come across my blog or social media may wonder, “what exactly does intentional living mean?” So I’m writing this post today to talk about just that!
Before diving into it, I want to give a disclaimer that I am not an expert on this topic. I am simply someone looking to find more purpose and joy in her life. This concept has resonated with me and so I want to share what I have learned so far! At the end of this post I’ll share some book recommendations if you want to read more about intentional living.
Why I Needed a Change
The past few years have been a challenge for us all. In 2021 I found myself barely scraping by emotionally. I was burnt out and unhappy at work. Angry that I had spent years in grad school and post-graduate training that left me with massive student loan debt. Bitter that I had to cancel long-awaited travel plans because of the pandemic. I felt like I was living a life that I never wanted.
At some point I realized that I was stuck in a vicious cycle. I felt disappointed in where my life was at, which led to feeling unmotivated to make a change. Which then led to feeling disappointed… and so on!
The Changes I Made and What Intentional Living Means to Me
Think about the life you want to live, and make every day decisions to move you toward that life.
After some reflection on where I was at in life compared to where I wanted to be, I knew that change was needed. I was unhappy, and I felt that life is too short to be unhappy!
I asked myself what would bring me happiness, and started making a conscious effort to live each day with that purpose in mind. Put simply, I adopted a mindset where I think about the life I want to live, and try to make every day decisions that move toward that life.
For me, a part of this intentional living effort has been to simplify my life. Living with less clutter (both physical and emotional) helps me to better focus on my purpose. This is one of the reasons that I’ve been loving the concept of a capsule wardrobe. Being able to get dressed quickly and without angst in the morning sets a good tone and mindset for my entire day (see my fall workwear capsule wardrobe here!). Beyond my wardrobe, decluttering my surroundings and unhealthy relationships clears my mind to put my effort into creating the life and happiness I desire.
Intentional Living Books I Have Enjoyed
To wrap up this post, I want to share a couple of books that I’ve read or am planning on reading this year to support my journey in intentional living.
Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More by Courtney Carver
In this book, Courtney Carver discusses the power of simplicity and getting rid of excess things in order to focus on what’s most important to us and relieve stress.
I found the Carver’s personal story so inspiring. While I am not pursuing minimalism to the same degree, the concepts in this book surrounding simplifying your life and listening to your heart were invaluable lessons to me in my journey to happiness and purpose.
This book by Brené Brown is all about how vulnerability is not a weakness, but rather a display of courage. Her discussion of shame resilience and perfectionism were enlightening in my quest to step outside of my comfort zone to create a life of joy, happiness, and self-acceptance.
I just rented this e-book from my local library as my first book to read in 2022. I’m looking forward to diving in to Gretchen Rubin’s discussion of understanding habits and how to change them. I hope to pick up some tools that assist me in creating a more meaningful and happy life.
I hope 2022 is off to a healthy, positive start for you all. I’d love to hear your thoughts on intentional living in the comments.
-Courtney
