4 Essential Tips To Live With Intention
Don’t we all want to become the most fully optimized versions of ourselves, using our lives to the fullest potential to create something epic, rather than collapse on the couch and binge-watch our favorite series? Why the dichotomy between the epic life we want, and what we actually spend our time doing?
Rev. Sun Myung Moon taught that the fundamental first step to grow spiritually is to live with intentionality. That means uniting the divisive parts of our mind under the direction of our conscience: the part of us that connects to our true purpose and identity and wants to make great strides forward. Father Moon explains,
“Because our mind varies, our direction also varies, and because our direction varies, our purpose varies too. You cannot fulfill one purpose when your mind varies. It is not simple to fulfill a goal with one mind; how much more difficult it is to fulfill it with two! Thus, one mind is necessary.”
If you’re seeking to change your life and see your dreams come true, then start with the basics: train your mind. Our minds are divided in many ways. One such way is the body-centric mind and the mind-centric mind. The body-centric mind, the part of our mind that would fully support wearing pajamas all day, tends to hold fleeting desires of comfort, while the mind-centric mind sees beyond the desires of the moment and is free to pursue a higher plane of thinking. You know, those two voices that constantly argue what you should do versus what you would rather do?
Living with one, united mind is often associated with practices that are a bit extreme for an average person’s daily life, such as hunger striking, taking cold showers, and practices of intense denial of comfort. But what if mind and body unity is more attainable than we think? By shifting the way we think and live every day, we naturally become the kind of people who stick to our principles and forego instant gratification in pursuit of something deeper. So how can we make this a reality?
Give Yourself a Good Reason
A sense of purpose comes with a sense of excitement. We look forward to what we feel is truly worth our time. Isn’t it easier to get out of bed when something exciting is going to happen that day—you’re going to see a friend, take a trip or finally get to see that movie you’ve been waiting to see all week? When our minds are involved in what we do and provide us with a sense of purpose, we feel empowered.
Is it possible that we can find purpose in anything and everything we need to do? Only one way to find out. When you wake up, tell yourself one thing you can be excited about that day. If you don’t have anything, plan it! When you start a diet, look up delicious healthy recipes. Find a way to give everything a good enough reason for you to actually go through with it.
Plan Ahead
Once bedtime arrives, the bleary-eyed desire to trudge off to sleep becomes strong, but this is a prime moment to ensure that tomorrow goes well. Take 60 seconds to write down a clear list of what should be accomplished tomorrow. You’ll thank yourself in the morning!
Respond Instead of Reacting
Of course, things don’t always go according to plan. When the unexpected hits, make an effort to avoid reactive behavior like complaining or taking issues personally, which often over-inflate the issue. Breathe deeply, remembering that God is always working, and choose to respond with grace and tact. See the moment as a chance to grow instead of an excuse to sulk.
Treat Yourself Less
Our materialistic society is fond of “treating ourselves” for a job well done, however small. Instead of splurging on that venti latte with extra whipped cream, try splurging on reflection instead. Sit with your success in your mind, smile knowing that you did something good, and let that be the reward. The more we do this, the more we realize that these moments of hand-holding with God are so much sweeter, and the more we seek those moments out.
By making choices with intention instead of letting those choices choose us, we overcome the reflex to give in to little temptations, we become stronger, more disciplined and more powerful forces for goodness!
What tricks do you use to live with intention? Let us know in the comments below.