The pandemic brought the economy as well as many social functions to a screaching halt. Whether people wanted to slow down or not, they were forced to. Regardless of whether you are new to living a slow, intentional life or you’ve been living intentionally your whole life, these concepts can help you jumpstart your new life-path or serve as reminder as to why you live intentionally when the going gets rough.

1. You are always examining your “why“. Every choice or decision you make should have a specific reason. Why are the friends you have your friends? Why are you with your partner? Why did you choose a specific job or career? Why did you buy the items you bought the last time you shopped? Why do you work long hours? Why are you always tired or busy? If you aren’t happy with the answers to these questions (and plenty of others you could ask yourself), you need to reexamine your choices.
2. You know you’ll never have everything figured out…however choosing to live intentionally raises your awareness. You become aware of the purpose driving your actions. You can be intentional with the direction you decide to take in life without knowing the final destination. Actually, if you prematurely decide your final destination, it may hinder your ability to deal with scenic routes you may take along the way. You may always miss out on other great opportunities life has to offer.
3. Everything starts with your values. Knowing what matters the most to you determines the direction you take in life. Jsut because you may stray from your values at some point in your life does not mean you can’t pivot and choose a different path. If you struggle to know your values, think about times you were happiest or most proud. Oftentimes we tend to feel bad when we go against our values. Some of the things I value include self-care, true connection, freedom, life-long learning, and being a passionista.
4. You accept responsibility for your actions. You accept that you have the power to make choices. It’s easy to make excuses for your life, such as “this is just the way life is” or “this is how it’s always been”. However, when you accept responsibility for your decisions, you suddenly become aware of many other opportunities you may have not considered previously.
5. You celebrate the small steps. Your life won’t change overnight but making small, incremental, and consistent change that is aligned with your values will significantly change the course of your life.
6. You realize there is no right or wrong answer. What works for you right now might not work for you in the future. Knowing that life is fluid and always evolving will help you change course as necessary. What works for you might not work for other individuals. Accepting this allows you to respect their life path whether you agree with them or not.
7. You realize that living intentionally is a continuous process. Intentional living is a journey, not a destination. You may veer off your path and take the scenic route from time to time, but as long as you are ultimately aware of your direction, you will find the path again. It’s important to award yourself grace in these times.