Imagine looking back on the last month and realising you can barely remember half of it.
Would that scare you?
Has that actually happened to you?
If it has,
You are not alone.
It's a sign that life might be happening to you rather than with you.
So tell me,
How do you live intentionally?
Are you living intentionally?
If we were sitting together with a coffee,
I'd ask you this same question with gentle curiosity because your answer tells me exactly where you are in life right now.
And that's the starting point.
The answer determines how present you actually feel in your own life and what might be holding you back from feeling more present.
It tells me whether you're living intentionally or on autopilot.
When the days melt into each other You see,
Living intentionally has fascinated me for years and it's something that I continue to practice because,
After all,
Practice makes progress.
I can remember a moment from my corporate days,
Nearly 20 years ago,
Where a few of us were chatting about how quickly time seemed to be moving and moving more quickly as we were getting older.
Someone mentioned they'd read an article explaining why this happens.
It's when your routine becomes too predictable and so everything starts to blend together.
We wake up at the same time,
Have the same breakfast,
Take the same route to work,
Eat the same lunch and come home the same way.
Week after week,
It's the same.
Like Groundhog Day.
Days lose their edges and merge into one long stretch of more of the same.
So if you want life to feel different,
You need to live differently.
Now,
I love a routine.
I like to be organised.
The thing is,
Routine can also slip into something else entirely.
An unconscious drift into autopilot without us even realising.
So where are you right now?
How much of your life is lived intentionally and how much simply repeats itself through numb habit?
When you're on autopilot,
Life feels flat,
Rushed and a little blurry around the edges.
Intentional living is about being present.
A conscious choice to show up fully.
And as Eckhart Tolle reminds us,
The only real moment we ever have is now.
When you're intentional,
You notice what truly matters.
You see your life rather than skimming past it.
Being present is the best gift you can give yourself and the people around you.
So how can you live intentionally?
It's about knowing the purpose behind everything you do.
Because if you don't know why you're doing something,
Then there's a good chance it's happening out of habit rather than choice.
That's the point to question why you're doing it.
And when I say everything,
I mean everything.
Not just the big significant ones,
But also the seemingly small mundane ones.
When you know the purpose of your actions,
You change the meaning of the action.
You can start to find the joy in everything you do,
Regardless of what it is.
So I encourage you to ask yourself regularly,
What is the purpose of doing this?
Before every conversation,
What is the purpose of this conversation?
Before stepping into a meeting,
What is the purpose of me being here?
Before sending that email,
What is the purpose of this message?
Before opening your laptop,
What is the purpose of this session?
Before scrolling on your phone,
What is the purpose of this moment?
Before spending money,
What is the purpose of this purchase?
Before saying yes to something,
What is the purpose of this commitment?
Before posting on social media,
What is the purpose of this share?
Before making plans with someone,
What is the purpose of this time together?
Before every house chore,
What is the purpose of this?
Before ending your day,
What is the purpose of how you want to feel tonight?
Yes,
This will really make a difference.
Let me give you an example.
Doing the laundry isn't a particularly exciting task.
However,
When you decide what the purpose of it is for,
Doing the laundry will feel different.
Doing the laundry is about looking after the clothes that support your day-to-day life.
Clean clothes help you feel comfortable,
Confident and ready for whatever your day brings.
When your wardrobe is cared for,
Getting dressed becomes easier,
Smoother and less stressful.
It's not really about the laundry itself.
It's about creating ease,
Comfort and confidence in your life.
Emptying the dishwasher isn't exactly thrilling either.
It's about creating an organised kitchen so you can cook knowing everything you need will be in its place.
It saves you time later,
Stops clutter from building up and gives you a space so you can enjoy cooking.
It's not really about plates and cutlery.
It's about setting yourself up to use the kitchen more easily.
Now,
I'm not suggesting you start questioning everything from now.
That would be overwhelming.
It's about starting.
Pick one thing so that you can start to create a good habit.
And before you know it,
Your first thought will automatically be,
What is the purpose of this?
Intentional living isn't about completely overhauling your life.
It's about taking one step at a time to change the way you live by starting small.
So tell me,
How are you living intentionally?
