4 Steps to Living with Intent
As a busy, working mom of two teenagers, I have struggled to find balance, rest and a sense of purpose. In my experience, many women, whether they have children or not, are employed full time, part time or at home, are overcommitted and overworked.
Ironically, it was while teaching meditation that I had my meltdown moment. While talking about the benefits of meditation, I was having this internal conversation: “Why did I have that cookie and double macchiato? I feel sick now. I have to pick up the dry cleaning, and call my investor. Ugh.” Dizzy from my dual dialogue, I decided to have the audience meditate so I could deal with my internal drama.
Despite being the daughter of wellness guru, Deepak Chopra, I had to admit my life was a bit of a mess. I made a decision, in front of that meditating audience, to explore what “living with intent” meant for me. Here is the path I followed:
1. Know where you are out of balance.
Life can be so overwhelming that sometimes we don’t even know where to begin. In my book, Living With Intent: My Somewhat Messy Journey to Purpose, Peace and Joy, I created a Balance Wheel to explore the different aspects of a healthy, happy lifestyle. Some questions to ask yourself: Am I getting enough rest? Do I eat healthy foods? Do I move enough? Do I enjoy my work? Do I have healthy relationships? Do I get enough intellectual stimulation? Do I laugh enough? Do I feel spiritually connected?
2. Set an intent.
Choose one area where you are struggling. Think about what you want and set an intent to make a change. Ambitious goals – like I am going to lose 15 pounds - often just makes us feel more stressed. Intents are different from goals in that they represent our aspirations and the qualities we want in our life – love, connection, health, happiness. Set an intent like: I want to get more rest. Or, I want to feel more connected to loved ones.
3. Take small steps to achieve your intent.
Having chosen one intent – or quality – you want to bring into your life, identify an easy action step you can take. For example, it may be learning how to meditate to feel more rested or calling an old friend to reconnect.
4. Connect and celebrate along the way.
Sharing your intent with others is a nice way to create a community to support your journey. For example, I realized I wasn’t having that much fun in my life any more. One small thing I did was start a book club with my friends – few have read the books when we meet, but it is an excuse to get together, have a few drinks and laugh. Not only did I start enjoying life more, my friends did too. The ripple effect of being happier extended to our families.
Making one small change in your life can have big impact and motivate you to take another small step to improve your daily existence. Supporting and connecting with others makes it more fun and helps you feel more purposeful. In time, you will marvel at how you were able to improve your life!