When we decide we want to turn off the autopilot and take control of our lives, we might be really excited. It is fun to think about the goals and dreams we have, where we want to go with our lives. But the hard work of showing up for it every day isn't something people really talk about. 

Intentional living is a journey I started about six years ago and I thought it would be so much easier, and come naturally, and everything would 'click'. When it wasn't quite like that I realized that there is a really messy part of intentional living that we might gloss over. 

So, I want to share some of the things I experienced and learned and encourage you with them. So that as you go on this journey in your own life, you can feel motivated to see it through when it feels hard. Because hard doesn't always mean you are doing it wrong, it often simply means you are doing it. 

Full transcript is at the bottom of this post. 

Some things to remember WHEN INTENTIONAL LIVING IS HARD

It doesn't come naturally. We started with ‘intentional parenting’ and made a list of what we hoped to teach our kids, and things to do with our kids. It included road trips - because that’s what I thought it *should* include. But I do not like road trips with my kids, and I hate that I hate them so much but they are not a preferable experience for me.  It doesn’t come naturally - and this can encourage you that your hard work is moving you down the road.

Read more about the road trip that made me cry right here.

What we want changes over time. This is encouraging because it means we are allowed to change our minds, try new things, and keep refining it along the way. 

It shines a light on your blind spots. For me, a big one was my victim mentality - of being the victim of my life, motherhood and marriage. Listen to the episode on being a mom martyr right here. 

It is the daily practice. We should be motivated by this big vision we have and remember that intentional living is showing up for the daily work of moving in that direction

It is empowering. This is the reason I still do it. It has grown me and shown me a lot I can let go of. It has brought me more in tune with myself and made me feel empowered that I can do hard things and take steps towards the life I want. 

 

To get started with intentional living, use the LIVE YOUR VISION, and LIVE YOUR VALUES worksheets, the LIFE ON PURPOSE WORKBOOK

The get some support in getting started schedule a 1-hour strategy session or apply for the Life on Purpose 1:1 Coaching Program with Shawna. 

Episode Transcript

Welcome to the Simple on Purpose podcast. This is a place where I want you to take some time to slow down. Think about ways you want to simplify your life. And think about the ways you want to show up well for your actual life.

So this is what we talked about here intentional living, simplifying your home heart and mind. So that you can show up and enjoy your life, enjoy motherhood, enjoy all of the things that are right in front of you, I want to help you do that.

So today we're going to pick up on intentional living. In the last episode, we talked about some signs that you could be living on autopilot. And maybe you saw some in yourself, maybe you want to take control, maybe you want to step up and get more intentional in how you're spending your days in what you're building up in your life. So in that last episode, I also give you a few tips on how to get started. And I want to give you some encouragement, some real talk on intentional living. I shared this thinking like Episode 15. And a couple of years ago, about the things that nobody talks about in intentional living, the things that nobody told me the things I wish I would have known. And I'm going to kind of go through that list again and elaborate a bit on a few of the points that I think are really important.

Because intentional living, it sounds great, doesn't it sounds shiny,