Hot Tips For Living Intentionally
By Kristen Marie Schuerlein

How does one live “intentionally?” To me, it means setting goals and making deliberate choices about the life I want to live. It’s recognizing my talents and the gifts I have to offer the world, and being thankful for the things the world has given to me. I am living a life I love and can’t help but share what I’ve learned along the way so that others can live lives they love as well. Here are a few tips to get you started: 

Develop a personal mantra. “I am clear, calm and confident.” “Free by 40,” (this is my own mantra for financial freedom by my 40th birthday). Repeat this mantra whenever you feel challenged, overwhelmed or doubtful about your goals. It will help you to focus on what you’re committed to and the result that you’re working toward. This works for any goal – personal, financial or physical.

Listen to your intuition. We all have that little voice inside that guides us. Did you know you can actually train this voice? When we tune in to what it’s saying, and we watch for evidence that it’s guiding us, we build the muscle to listen even more intently, and we learn to trust it.

Own that you are one of a kind. Truly, there is only one you, and that’s a big deal if you think about it. You have gifts to give the world that no one else has. Share your insights, talents, ideas, love, and kindness with us. I believe we all owe that to one another, to be our extraordinary selves.

Be willing to step out of what you know into the unknown. When I started my journey of intentional living, I found that some of the people in my life weren’t in support of me. I had the opportunity to decide if I wanted to continue that relationship. Sometimes I did, and sometimes the relationship naturally fell away. I encourage you to find the strength to move toward your vision like your life depends on it, because it does.

Decide who you are willing to listen to. We all have so many external influences in our lives, and sometimes it’s easy to think that we don’t have a choice about them, but we do. Living intentionally means we get to design our lives from the top down and from the inside, out. When you have a clear vision of what your heart desires, this will be your guide.

When things are hard, stop. Have you ever had your heart set on something, have it not turn out how you thought it would, and then have something even better show up? That is exactly what I am talking about. One year, our company experienced 300% growth and our office space just wasn’t a fit any more, so we made an offer on a commercial condo that would house both our companies. We went through an extensive feasibility study, invested a great deal of time and money and it all fell apart at the last minute. It wasn’t pleasant. While we could have made it work - the bad energy had us stop and walk away. Instead of being mad, I decided something better was out there. That night I jumped online and found a great place that had just come on the market and within 48 hours we had a deal signed. Plus, this new place was even better than the one I had fought so hard to make happen!

Actively make time to be still. Sometimes we get so caught up in our goals and commitments that we become overwhelmed or otherwise not well. We may blame it on work or stress, but it’s really a matter of taking some time to be still – to stop and care for yourself. The rest of the world will not stop because you do. Be still, regroup and return better than before.

Have gratitude. Being thankful for what you have allows for the attraction of more good things! If you concentrate on only the disappointments or negative things facing you, you could miss that great opportunity when it presents itself.

Living intentionally may seem like a demanding endeavor, and it is. It requires your participation! Set goals for yourself, big and small, and commit to achieving them. The pay off – a life you love – is well worth the time and effort.

Kristen Marie Schuerlein is the founder of www.Affirmagy.com , a company that seeks to transform the lives of others through products that nurture the soul, awaken the spirit, and touch the heart. Contact her at kristen@affirmagy.com .