Let’s do a quick recap of Step 1 and Step 2 about living intentionally before we begin. In Step 1 we talked about really honing in on your dream life and the importance of deciding where you are going before determining how. Step 2 focused on setting goals. Goals that are S.M.A.R.T. and that solidify our path. Step 3 on living intentionally is all about good habits. You may be saying to yourself, “I need to quit doing this” or “I need to give up that”. Forget that mentality for right now. Let’s focus on setting realistic, joyful, happy habits.
Let me break it down for us.
Consider the following quotes about habits and how it pertains to you.
“It’s the small habits. How you spend your mornings. How you talk to yourself. What you read and what you watch. Who you share your energy with. Who has access to you. That will change your life.” @thefemalehustlers
“If only people understood how important it is to be consistent. Everything that has value in life is a product of consistency. Success, health, fitness, wealth, friendships, relationships, and all other aspirations are all about consistency.” ~unknown
“Your future is hidden in your daily routine.” @herincomeplan
“Your current habits are perfectly aligned to create your current reality. If you’re not happy, change them.” @suneeramadhani
“People do not decide their futures; they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.” F.M. Alexander
It’s clear that what we are choosing to do consistently daily, weekly, monthly is determining our current reality and our future. What are your routines?
We all have them. A quick scroll on social media before our feet touch the floor. Hitting the gym after work. A coffee run on the way to work. Reading to our kids before bed. Taking our makeup off. Vitamins and supplements. Weekly date with our spouse. Monthly lunch with a friend. The list goes on.
Success, happiness, good things, health, close relationships aren’t going to just happen. We have to create and add those things to our lives. And we do that via habits.
Martin Luther King said it best, “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just to take the first step.”
One step at a time, one good habit a time and you’ll get there.
So for step 3 on intentional living, we are going to focus on 5 habits. Make sure the habits you choose are realistic (if you currently don’t exercise, maybe don’t start with 2 hours a day), not restrictive (this is about adding not eliminating – find something good to add) and happy (this is not a punishment, this should be a good thing you will enjoy). These habits can be daily, weekly or monthly. It’s up to you.
The first 3 Intentional Living habits will be as follows:
Habit 1 : This concerns your physical health. Examples: 15 minute walk outside, exercise, water intake, eating a clean/healthy breakfast. Just one thing.
Habit 2: This concerns your mental health. Examples: Reading an encouraging devotion. Meditation. Prayer.
Habit 3: This concerns your relationships. Examples: Lunch with a friend, date with your spouse, calling a family member, intentional time with your kids.
The next 2 Intentional Living habits are a little different:
These habits will be specific to your goals that you set in Step 2. They may also fall into one of the previous 3 categories and that’s okay. Just make sure they are aligned with your goals. For example, if my goal is to write a specific number of blog posts then my habit could be to write for 1 hour each morning.
Commit to these habits. Write them down. Tell someone for accountability.
I am excited about the changes I am seeing personally as I work through these steps and I hope you are too. It’s exhilarating to feel in control of your life and your future. And even more so to see other people do the same.
Does this seem weird or “hokey”? Good. Doing the same thing over and over will yield the same results. And we can’t have growth without discomfort. So do something different and push yourself. It will always be worth it.
Step 4 coming soon… In the meantime, come see what we’re up to on Instagram.
Have a beautiful week.
Jess
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