With the new year comes the onslaught of New Year's resolutions and promises to ourselves that we'll accomplish "x, y, z" during the coming year. If you listen to our podcast (if you don't you totally should - duh), you know that in our first episode of 2019 we covered how we approach setting goals and intentions for the new year and why we don't take the typical approach. We frame them more as overall intentions for the year instead of resolutions. Which sparked me to thinking about the word "intention" and what it actually means.
An intention is a thing intended. An aim, or a plan. A determination to act in a certain way. Totally fits for setting goals, right? But then, I kept wandering down this thought path to the brainstorm about how many of us aren't intentional in our daily lives. How we often do TONS of things throughout our day that aren't necessarily driven by intentions or determination, but simply by habit. We do these things because its just "what we do." Do you have anything like this that comes to mind? I definitely do! For instance, I got into a terrible habit a few months ago of watching TV to fall asleep. I know, I knowwwww. But it happened one night and then, before I knew it, snowballed into an every night thing. I'm working on switching back over to reading before bed instead, and slowly but surely it's becoming my new habit, BUT I've had to be very intentional about making this switch.
Now, let me make a disclaimer that not ALL of our habits are bad ones! Like drinking a glass of water when I wake up before my coffee, or brushing my teeth as soon as my feet hit the floor (my future husband will thank me for this one). But, it's worth posing the question - have you surveyed your habits recently? Which ones make you say "heck yeah, I'm a rockstar," and which ones could use a little "re-brand" if you will?
What if you took a deep and honest look at your daily habits and committed to doing more with intention and less out of habit. What difference could that make?
I know when I personally do things more intentionally I am wayyyyy more productive. Whether it's in business, or just in daily life, I complete so much more! Which, let's be honest, makes me feel like a total bada**, and energizes me. Cue an awesome, productive, and energetic snowball that carries over into other areas of my life.
So based off of experience, step one to being more intentional is taking an open and honest look at what your current day typically looks like. Jot down the mainstays that are always there. Maybe you visit the same coffee shop every morning on your way to work, or you go to the same class at your gym. Again, not all of these are bad, you just need to recognize what you're doing. Then ask yourself the question "do I do X because I love it and want to, or do I do it because I'm stuck in a rut and it's a habit?" Are you willing to change it? What would happen if you did? Explore the possibilities and embrace the change!
What's the worst thing that can happen? You try a new coffee order and hate it, so you never order it again. Or you try a new class and realize why you love your usual one so much. Or maybe, just maybe, you find something new that you love, you become more open minded to new experiences, and ultimately you start to experience a richer, more exciting life. Yes, I know I took a major jump from a new coffee order to life changing, but I told you it's a snowball (haha). Once we become comfortable embracing small changes, we're typically more likely to jump on those bigger changes too - the ones that really can be life changing.
So, what are you waiting for?! Will you join us this year in living less out of habit and more out of intention?