Live with Intention, Not by Default

It’s a New Year! Many people focus on goal-setting and turning the first page on a fresh calendar is a good time for setting intention. Living with intention means we must get off our asses. We must insist on action and view intentionality as a verb – not the noun, certainly the easier of the two definitions. When we consider our hopes and dreams for our lives, and map out our goals, we must set ourselves up for success. Even lofty, long-range goals, can and should be broken down into manageable benchmarks. It will be easier to be intentional in our pursuits if we can identify and conquer the daily and short-term challenges.

Several years ago, I created a comprehensive map of my life goals and various pathways to reach them. I rely on that visual tool to remind me of where I am going. It’s like a compass for keeping me on track. You see, my problem is not necessarily getting off my ass (for I am actually quite busy and active), but rather keeping focused on one or even several tasks that keep me moving in a forward direction toward those long-range goals. In a nutshell, I am often distracted. Oh, I always return to the tasks I’ve identified as necessary to get from point A to point B, but frequently a lot of energy is spent being busy on other things between those two points. And this fact is something I spent much time reflecting on as 2022 came to a close. I did an assessment of my intentionality. What exactly had I demonstrated in true action toward life goals, in my role in friendships, in my professional career trajectory; where is my energy going? Is what I am busy with serving me well and propelling me forward in wellness toward my life goals?

I returned to my visual tool and also looked back on some creative journal pages that focused on various domains of wellness and assessed the outcome of my actions and efforts over the past year. Did my intentions yield the results I anticipated? Did the energy I invested in certain areas of my life provide outcomes I desired? For the most part, I am happy with the progress I made in the previous year though there is always room for improvement. For example, I could have been a more engaged friend and sister; sharing more time and energy to cultivate these important relationships. I found that in a couple of areas, I was “existing by default”. It suggests that I had become passive in my pursuits, passive in the orchestration of my life in those areas. Intention was there but without the necessary action.

Do you feel you have become passive in your own life? Or in particular areas of your life journey? May you be encouraged to start each day with a fresh set of eyes, with the same excitement as ringing in a New Year. Keep your dreams and goals in mind and set your actionable intentions each day. Conduct regular self-evaluation. Are you on track? Are you having fun in the process? How are you spending your time? Consider the activities that fill your time, the people you surround yourself with, the habits you form – are they serving you well and the life you desire? If not, recalibrate and become intentional with your choices.

Curiosity and creativity will always be my biggest distractions but they do not need to derail me in the busyness of life and pursuing my goals. Reflecting on past results of intentional living, I continue to choose to be deliberate with how I spend my time and resources and really pay close attention to where my energy is going. I will strive to live with intention in my actions not just in my thoughts. It’s a daily practice. Sometimes it’s a literal moment-by-moment endeavor.

As January arrives, another rotation around the Sun complete, let’s be the captains of our ships – whether charting new territory or following a familiar course. Be intentional with your actions and choices. Create the life you seek. Kristin Armstrong captures my New Year inspiration for you beautifully: “We either live with intention or exist by default.”