So, I’ve been sitting her thinking about this topic for about 2 weeks. Going back and forth on what to write about, and then it hit me! To write about intention, I should be intentional about my writing. DUH! No brainer, right? But it wasn’t that simple, as I’m not a natural writer. Put me up in front of people on a subject that I’m passionate about and I can talk for hours, but for some reason to write it down is just plain painful for me!

For the year 2018, I decided that my word to keep me focused would be “Intention,” to do things purposefully and follow through with my actions. I mean, not just talk the talk but really walk the walk. It’s easy to write down a goal or a dream … then do just that, simply dream about it. But what if you wrote it down and worked towards it. What if you took that dream and broke it down into baby steps and purposely set aside time to work on it?

It may be messy trying to achieve your goal but it doesn’t matter how you get there if you achieve it. Be flexible enough to say this didn’t work so maybe I’ll have to try it another way. It’s through those messy phases in life that we grow and prosper. Eventually what seems like a mess, will blossom into a beautiful thing.

Sometimes to live intentionally, we need to declutter our life and make time for those little things that matter most. For instance, every night before bed I read with my youngest daughter. This is her time to just have me. Some days we read three books, others its eight. It really doesn’t matter how many books we read, it’s just that we do it together, intentionally spending quality time doing something she loves. I used to look at this as wasted time, time I could be doing the dishes, folding clothes, or connecting with people about my business. After all it was bed time, time for her to sleep and me to get my to-do list done. But I’ve realized those dishes can wait, and the clothes can get folded tomorrow. Those things don’t really matter. What matters is my daughter will remember getting to spend every night before bed reading with her mom.

In trying to work on being more intentional this year, I’ve learned you must practice self-care as well.  I believe to be a happy, healthy, and inspiring mother, you also need to spend time on yourself. What are you doing in your life that makes you feel satisfied? Some people like to work out, while others indulge in spa days. Maybe for you it’s simply setting aside time to read or take a nice warm bath. We all need to take time to focus on our own self-care to live a healthy, happy life. That old saying, “you can’t pour from an empty cup,” hits home in this arena. Taking care of ME, means I can be the woman I need to be for everyone else.

Is living intentionally easy? No, but once you focus on how, it can be way more desirable. Take a moment to reflect on your life, and make three lists. First, list what is truly important to you, then make another list of things you could do without, and finally create a third list of what you want or where you want to be in a year. Then make a step-by-step plan to work on those things. Work backwards, and set smaller goals to achieve your outcome. Build yourself a life that brings you happiness and joy. Push out all the negativity, and bring in positive thoughts and actions. Is it going to be hard? At times, yes, but the joy you will find in the long run will make it all worth it. Make this your year to shine!