Life has its ways. Our lives have their ways with us. Often rushing us through the days and tasks, through our jobs and chores. But what if there was a way of living that allows us to feel less rushed, or even powerless?

One where we really feel we actually do have a choice here. And the way we live is really according to our own way, giving us a sense of meaning and connection to what we do in our lives.

You might have heard of intentional living, if not, let me give you an insight from my perspective and experience of it.

I'd like to approach it with two questions:

Why am I doing what I am doing during my days?

Who am I in this? Is it the way I want to be?

Our work takes most of our time - why do we do it? Simply to earn money, or do we find a deeper meaning in it? If we were to name an intention behind do the work we do, what could it be?

"I do this work with the intention of being of service to others by..."

"I do this work with the intention of pouring my heart into it.“

Whatever circumstances life brings, there are multiple ways we respond. Often, we react unconsciously not even aware of the dynamics we get ourselves into. If we take a step back and tend to the second question, we have the opportunity to realign.

"In this situation, I want to be the one who brings peace into it, so I stay open to hear what the other person has to say."

"In this task, I want to be the one who…"

Intentional living also includes the question of necessity. Is what I am doing during my days really necessary, does it contribute to what I want to nourish?

This leads a little deeper to our core values, the ones we either consciously or unconsciously have placed in the center of our lives from where they direct our moves, behaviour and decisions. That is a powerful thing to look at, very enriching and also liberating as we realise what we truly want to do things from, and with what intention.

There is a simple way of finding out our core values. I do it when I feel that my life needs a subtle reassessment, or when I seem to be lived rather than living.

Here is how to do it:

1. Search for a list of values online.

2. Either get someone to read them to you, or you go through it by yourself word by word so that you can feel which one resonates, feels important to you. (Really leaving out concepts of others here, and choosing our very own, not what we think we 'should' choose.)

3. Following what resonates (without explaining it to yourself) you write them down.

4. Shorten your list of words down to 10.

5. Then to 5.

6. And then to 3 - if you can - to make your values as clear for you as possible.

Because this is your compass. And from here you can align your daily life to those core values that feel like the way that you want to shape your life. Setting an intention based on these for your day in the morning, or getting into a new task with a short intentional localisation. It doesn't take long, it might feel new in the beginning but you will notice the positive effect rippling through your life, in the way you approach things, and in the way you feel.

Enjoy your life, truly.


Author

Sina is a 34 year-old woman from Germany, who moved to Portugal in 2022. She would describe herself as a sensitive human being with a great longing and calling for a more heartful world. https://rainbowhite.world/

Sina Rissmann