For the last few years, I’ve embraced setting an intention for the year rather than setting New Year’s Resolutions (which we all know tend to fizzle out). The good news? It’s March, and I’m still focusing on my intention where most New Year’s Resolutions have long been forgotten.
Setting intentions involves focusing on your overall direction rather than specific outcomes. In today’s fastpaced world, it’s easy to get swept up in routines and reactive behaviors that leave us feeling unfulfilled. Being intentional means making deliberate choices about how we spend our time, energy and resources to align with our values and goals.
Interestingly, my intention is to be more intentional. For me, this means being purposeful in my words, actions and daily decisions. In the past, there were times when I felt like life was just happening to me, rather than me steering the ship.
The foundation of intentional living involves clarifying your purpose. To live with purpose, you need to define what truly matters to you. Ask yourself:
- What matters most to me?
- What kind of person do I want to be?
- What legacy do I want to leave behind?
Tools like journaling, vision boards or coaching can help articulate your vision. I’m not very artistic, so I created a Vision Board on Canva as a daily reminder of what’s most important.
Here’s how I am cultivating intentionality in 2025:
- Setting priorities
I’m focusing on what has the greatest impact and aligns with my purpose and values. Staying true to these priorities means saying “no” to things that don’t serve them.
- Being deliberate about how I spend my time
It is easy to get sucked into activities that don’t add much value to your life – social media and Netflix are a few of my personal pitfalls. I’m working to replace these with high-value activities and surround myself with positive, uplifting people.
- Paying attention to what I eat and drink
As I’ve gotten older, my willpower has waned – and my pants don’t lie! I’m focusing on eating whole foods that fuel my body and cutting down on alcohol. While I do love my wine, I’m saving it for special occasions.
- Getting organized
Clutter – whether physical or digital – creates stress and wastes time. I’ve been on a mission to unsubscribe from unnecessary emails and organize my files to make my surroundings more streamlined and efficient.
- Focusing on fewer, more meaningful connections
As a business owner, I spend a lot of time networking. I’m committing to fewer, more intentional networking groups and activities to maximize the value without spreading myself too thin.
- Letting go and letting God
The most important step in my journey is reminding myself that I am ultimately not in control – God is. Instead of trying to control people and circumstances, I’m leaning on Him for guidance through prayer and spending time in His Word.
