Most people spend more time planning a one-week vacation than they spend planning their life.
– Michael Hyatt
Sometimes, life is seriously harder than it should be.
That’s where “intentional living” comes in.
Intentional living is about learning how to make better decisions, so you’re happier and have fewer regrets. Basically, it’s all about focusing on what matters most to you and forgetting the rest.
You still won’t be able to control the outcomes, but over time, the result is that you’ll design a life you love more likely than wandering somewhere you don’t want to be.
Side note – I created Dream Year for this exact reason – to give you a goal setting workbook that shows you how to manage your mind and feelings so you can feel good and be happy while accomplishing your goals.
WHAT IS INTENTIONAL LIVING?
Intentional living means choosing to live in a way that is in alignment with your purpose in life. Sounds intense, I know.
But it’s soooo good! Intentional living takes you from where you are not to where you want to go. It’s the roadmap that helps you navigate life.
Intentional living means valuing life so much that you decide how you want to live ahead of time. This will allow you to make the best decisions you know how to and minimize your regrets.
Intentional living does not mean having a rigid, inflexible plan that you have to stick to. Because most of us know that things can change in the blink of an eye. But for the times that life isn’t changing and throwing us curve balls – for the times that we can choose and have control – intentional living is the best way of life that can help us do that.
HOW TO LIVE INTENTIONALLY
Intentionally can help you be happier and have fewer regrets.
To live intentionally, you need to follow the process I’ve listed below.
For each step, apply the action to one of the life categories (or all of them). Focus on the areas of your life that you want to work on the most, but don’t leave any neglected for too long.
The main life categories are:
- Health (e.g.: eating, exercising)
- Relationships (e.g.: spouse, kids, coworkers, friends)
- Finance (e.g.: money)
- Career (e.g.: job, business)
- Personal / Spiritual Development (e.g.: religion, reading, meditation)
- Recreation (e.g.: fun, play, hobbies, sports)
- Environment (e.g.: home, organization)
- Service (e.g.: volunteering)
You can also add a final category that is your “Overall Life” category, that encompasses all of these specific categories.
I go over all this in Dream Year: Accomplish Your #1 Goal This Year & Feel Good Doing It, which is my goal-setting workbook that shows you how to design your dream year. If you want to dive deeper into creating the results you want in your life, grab this eBook.
Here’s a look at the basic steps to take…
1. Create Visions for Each Area of Your Life
Create a vision for each of the categories of your life. A vision is a desired future with a deeply rooted reason for that desired future.
Example: To have financial freedom [desired future] to provide a better life for my kids than I had [deeply rooted reason].
- Related: Visions vs. Goals
- Related: How to Set A Life Vision
2. Take Inventory of Each Area of Your Life
Take inventory of each of the categories of your life. Write down what you’ve done in the past in each area and where you think you stand today. Be brutally honest and completely authentic here. You’re only hurting yourself by fudging your reality. Also, document whether where you are to this point is where you want to be for that category. This will help you decide what to focus on.
Example: Net worth is $20,000, no emergency fund, no estate plan or life insurance in place, retirement accounts fully funded, and struggle with budgeting. This is not in line with where I want to be.
The more detailed you are, the better. The examples I’m providing are very brief, so when you do this exercise, make your answers longer, as appropriate.
3. Create an Overarching Plan or Goal for Each Area of Your Life
Create an overarching plan for each area of your life. This means you are going to decide how to get from where you are now (your inventory) to where you want to be (your visions).
Your overarching plan should be very broad, not like a specific goal, but list how it is you’re going to achieve your vision.
Example: Get out of debt, have adequate savings, and become financially free.
I use journals and planners for this a lot. Here’s a look at my favorite journals and planners to use for life planning.
4. Set Long-Term and Short-Term Goals
Set long-term and short-term goals for each category of your life. Goals are specific strategies that you will use to accomplish your overarching plans and live your visions.
Long-term goals are goals that are greater than one year and short-term goals are goals that are shorter than one year.
For your long-term goals, consider setting several long-term goals at specific intervals (such as a 5-year goal, 10-year goal, and 20-year goal) for each category.
For your short-term goals, set goals at shorter intervals, such as 1-3 months, 6 months, and 1 year.
All of your goals should be SMART, in my opinion. This is an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.
For more of an in-depth look at goal-setting, read my post, How To Set Goals For Beginners.
Example:
Long-term goals:
- 5-year: Pay off student loans
- 10-year: Be debt free, have an 8-month emergency fund, and max out retirement and investment accounts
- 20-year: Be financially independent (only work because I want to)
Short-term goals:
- 1-3 months: Save a 2-month emergency fund, get on a student-loan repayment plan (create an amortization schedule for 5-year pay off), make $500 / month extra payments to student loan debt, and start a new side hustle
- 6 months: Save a 5-month emergency fund, make an extra $250 / month from side hustle, and start paying extra $750 / month toward student loan debt
- 1 year: Save a 6-month emergency fund, pay an extra $1,000 / month toward student loan debt, start reading investing books
Note that for this post, these goals are very brief. The more specific you make your goals the better (learn how to set SMART goals here), so use these examples merely for the content and not for the specificity.
5. Create Monthly and Weekly Action Plans
Create a monthly and weekly action plan with specific tasks that will help you achieve some of your goals.
Your action plans are the framework and plan that will help you accomplish your short-term goals.
I have several free tools you can do this with (each is a little different). Here they are:
It’s more important that you do something than it is that you have the exact right tool. It’s about doing something more than anything. So, do what works for you, but make sure you are planning every single day and every single week.
You can also get the full list of templates in Dream Year, my goal setting workbook.
6. Implement Supportive Success Habits
Implement supportive success habits that will help you achieve your goals and live the life you’ve always wanted.
For this step, decide how you can implement habits as part of your routine that will help you live intentionally. Weekly actions are small tasks that you set to accomplish weekly. Habits are daily disciplines that are part of your routine.
Example: Automate saving $250 / per pay period.
Here are my fav blog posts on habits…
- 11 Habits You Need to Stop
- How To Create Amazing Habits
- 12 Habits Of Good Leaders
- 10 Habits You Should Adopt
7. Reward, Reflect, Revise, and Repeat
Reward yourself as you accomplish your goals, reflect on the process, revise as needed, and repeat as life changes.
Reward yourself as you complete your actions each week. As humans, we work really well if we’re rewarded for what we do.
Reflect on the process. As you implement your intentional living plan, reflect and evaluate whether it’s actually working for your.
Revise your plan as needed. Life will happen and your circumstances will change – for better and for worse. Adjust your plan accordingly. This means that you will have to monitor your plan and make changes periodically. If it’s helpful, decide to do this every few months.
Repeat the plan as you make big life changes. If you get married, have kids, switch careers, or something else, you are going to need to repeat the entire process.
Intentional living means that you are living on purpose. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best that you can do for the one live you have. It will leave you happier and with fewer regrets.
A FINAL NOTE
Once you start living intentionally, the habit of thinking about your choices becomes second nature. This is how you learn to make better decisions and have fewer regrets.
Intentional living is how you design a life you love. It’s amazing!
Great article! I think I have the planning part down – I know where I want to be and I know what changes I need to make to get me there, but I’m not always the best at implementing the change. I’m going to experiment with being more intentional in my day-to-day actions. If I can constantly question my motives, I might bring about more change.
Kirsten recently posted…Wants Versus Needs: a Tired Mom’s Ramblings
Knowing what you want is half the battle! That’s awesome. It can be hard to implement what you want in real life, but overtime I think it gets easier. Keep me posted! Good luck 🙂
This post makes me happy! I try to always ask myself, “But why?” before I do anything. Then I reap the benefits of intentional living you posted about.
Will @firstqfinance recently posted…How I Spend $75 Per Month on (Healthy!) Groceries
Absolutely, Will! 🙂
Oh yeah, it makes me happy because it’s good to know there are others out there who function the way I do!
Will recently posted…How I Spend $75 Per Month on (Healthy!) Groceries
Haha, I hear ya! I don’t know a lot of people who practice intentional living, so it’s nice to hear that someone else thinks this way, too.
Love this post Natalie! We need to practice intentional living more than we realize. One area that we focus on intentionally that might not be on many people’s radar is our giving plan. Because we do feel committed in giving to our local church and other charitable causes we felt this area needed some oversight. It’s easy to get emotionally sucked in to causes and actually give beyond what’s financially feasible. Having a dedicated plan in place allows you to be objective in how you give.
Brian @ Luke1428 recently posted…Be Intentional: How to Develop a Giving Plan
Yes! This is a great example of exactly what I’m talking about, Brain. Particularly because this is so important to you and you recognize that it’s easy to get sucked in to caused – I think it’s a great example of how intentional living is useful. You’re able to plan what you give because you know it’s so important but you also know that you need to make sure you have money to live on. Thanks for sharing!
I like “anti-yolo” as a philosophy :). I strive for intentional living as well–I think of it as living a life of purpose and intention. I try to always ask “Is what I’m doing advancing my long-term goals?” And, as you illustrate in your examples, our life is comprised of the habits and patterns we have, so, better make them good!
Mrs. Frugalwoods recently posted…Frugal Hound Sniffs: The Barefoot Budgeter
Exactly! And the habits may have come from childhood and may not be productive for our goals. Taking a look at the habits and evaluating if they promote our success or not will help make sure we’re on the right track.
Nothing good ever happened after somebody said, “It’s okay, do it. YOLO”
I’d like to think I’m intentionally living right now. I have a plan and are focused on achieving that plan as soon as possible. I’m still working on other aspects of my life, but at least I know what it is that I need to work on.
Aldo @ Million Dollar Ninja recently posted…Is It Better to Buy or Rent?
Hahahah! You are right about that 🙂 And I love that you’re thinking about what you want for yourself. It’s not about knowing exactly how your life will go, but it is about being in touch with yourself and thinking about where you’d like to go and acting accordingly.
I really like this idea of intentional living and I think I live intentionally. My husband and I have goals. We try to make good decisions each day that will bring us closer to achieving those goals. Some of our goals including paying off our debt quickly, having kids and retirement.
Liz recently posted…Our Student Loan Story
I like that, Liz! I have similar goals (paying off student loans, having kids, retirement). Intentional living is a lot easier when you do have an idea of where you want to go.
Love this, Natalie. I’m a huge proponent of intentional living too. I want to make sure that I spending my resources, time and money, on the things that matter most to me. I want to live my best possible and it’s hard to do that when I don’t even know what that looks like. I’m a planner by nature and profession, so it’s a good fit for me. And knowing what I want and am doing the work to achieve it, makes me very happy and fulfilled.
Shannon @ The Heavy Purse recently posted…Back to School Shopping Tips and Infographic
I couldn’t have said that better for myself, Shannon. By nature, I too, am a planner so it really works well for me and my happiness.
Excellent post! I think this way too, but it took me some time to get there. Up until a couple years ago I was just cruising, and even when I lost my job and started freelancing, I was still cruising. Now I think about what I want out of life all the time, and are my actions reflecting that. For the most part, yes, especially financial. But career is still a thorn in my side, and something I’m working really hard on figuring out.
[email protected] and the Beach recently posted…Can You Spare 15 Minutes?
I think that’s common, Tonya. It’s so great that you now think about it more. And I like how you describe it as “cruising” – that’s exactly what it is. And isn’t it interesting how some areas of our lives are so much easier than others (finance versus career for example). Good luck on your journey figuring it out!
Great post, your intention is a powerful tool. My wife and I certainly practice intentional living on a daily basis. In fact on our bathroom mirror we have the words “My Intention Is…” written on it.
Tawcan recently posted…Weekend Reading
Love that! What a great positive affirmation.
My husband and I are trying to do this right now. We’ve been in a fog in so many ways the last few months. We just want to get better at literally everything – organizing, cleaning, work, school, the babies, our families, our health – everything! One step at a time. 🙂
[email protected] recently posted…It Turns Out Kids Want to Be Millionaires
Well with two small babies at home, I’m sure it’s a lot harder! Getting started will definitely be the hardest step, but once you do, hopefully it makes everything else easier.
It took me a long time to figure out that I was living superficially and not intentionally. Fortunately I can’t say the same anymore and my life has become so much more meaningful and I truly feel very blessed. Wonderful post!
Kassandra recently posted…Music To My Ears
Isn’t it amazing how you notice how much more meaningful life is once you think about things?! Glad to hear it happened for you!
This is a really great post. I LOVE the idea of intentional living, and I definitely try to live my life this way. The biggest drawback of this is that you have to make sacrifices that can be painful short-term. You also will interact with many people who don’t understand why you live the way you do.
DC @ Young Adult Money recently posted…Are Old Cars With Expensive Repairs Worth It?
Great point, DC. The short-term sacrifices are always hard. Keeping your vision in mind helps, but doesn’t make it that much easier. And you are right about the people around you – in my experience there are a lot who don’t understand, which makes explaining your decisions harder.
Hi Natalie, I completely identify with the idea of intentional living – it’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot recently.
Some areas of life are going great, others good and I’m putting effort into them. Other areas (like my love life) aren’t going well at all, and I actively avoid putting any time in. It’s really made me think I need to re-adjust my schedule to match my priorities, and to keep adjusting it as priorities change.
Louise @ Good Financial Choices recently posted…Net Worth 0 – August 2014
Great post! I have been focused debt-reduction, but once you start getting intentional in one area of your life, the other areas start to beg for an intentional focus too. The bit about choosing friends wisely is bang on. I have felt uncomfortable about letting some friendships fade, but when people seem to have a vested interest in bringing you down, it should be a no-brainer: They have no place in your life! I’ll have to check out The Slight Edge. Thanks!
Prudence Debtfree recently posted…Two Debt Bloggers at Tim Hortons: My Meeting with Debt Debs
I LOVE this post and believe that once you mature enough to understand and embrace intentional living, your quality of life increases exponentially.
Brittany @ Fun on a budget blog recently posted…Saturday Morning Hustle: Links we Loved this Week