COVERT COMPOSITIONS

Would you like to join me on the journey to intentionality?  Are you tired of living your life by “should haves”, “would haves”, “could haves”?  Do you feel stuck and unable to move forward?  I challenge you to give this process a try with me.   If you do, please let me how it is going for you.  I welcome your questions and feedback.

The first step in the journey to intentionality is to determine what it is you want to be intentional about.    

Sounds simple, right?  You probably have a lot of ideas already.  Maybe you even have too many and feel overwhelmed.  You may even feel frustrated by the ones that you have had for a long time and not completed…for whatever reason.  How about that New Year’s Resolution to lose weight?  Those boxes still sitting in the attic untouched?  Or creating your child’s photo album?

If you are anything like me, you may feel guilty as time goes by and these items remain uncompleted.  And even guiltier as the list compounds each year.   No matter what you are feeling during this exercise – frustration, stress or guilt – these types feelings are a normal part of the process and will propel you forward on future steps.  For now, it is important to allow these feelings to be present but not prevent you from completing the exercise honestly and in its entirety. 

First, start by making a list of all the things you want to be intentional about.  Initially, you will likely think of all the things you should do or need to do – lose weight, organize the garage, balance the checkbook, spring clean the house, etc.  It doesn’t matter what reason the items have been put off or for how long.  Just get them all down on a list.  Think of everything you can.  It may not feel that great to do, but this step is vital toward living more intentionally. 

Be time specific, like – balance the checkbook MONTHLY; spring clean the house YEARLY; lose 1 pound PER WEEK.  This should be the time frame you would like to complete the item. You will have the opportunity later to hash out the exact specifics…like balance the checkbook every Friday.  But for now, stick to a more general time frame. 

Next, make sure to add all the fun things you can think of to your list.  The things you’ve always meant to do or wanted to do.   These are usually things you wish you had time or money for but “more important” things get in the way.  Date night with the hubby.  Go to the movies.  Buy a trampoline.  Don’t forget to be time specific when appropriate!  Date night with the hubby MONTHLY.     

Finally, add the things you consider a dream…the things you really wish you could do…whether or not you feel they are attainable.  Buy a house.  Get your Masters’ degree.  Travel the world.  List anything and everything you have always wanted to do. 

Make sure to be specific about what it is that you want.  Instead of simply listing “travel the world”, I recommend listing exact locations / activities if you know them.   Trip to Hawaii.  Summer vacation to the Hamptons.  Eat crepes in France.  Identify EXACTLY what you would like to do. 

If you are unsure of exactly what you want, then that would be the item you would add to your list.  Figure out what career to choose.  Research degrees.  Consult a career counselor. 

It is not necessary to be time specific in this step if you are unsure.  If you are just starting your journey of intentional living, it may be hard initially to imagine how these could ever be part of your life.  It will also likely require some adjustments in your life to accommodate these items.  We will address this further in a later exercise.        

Tips to Successfully Completing Your List of Intentions:

The purpose of this exercise is to determine what you want to be intentional about.  It is important then to be intentional about the process and creating your list.  Take the time to think through each section of your list.  Revisit your list often and add to it as new items come to mind. 

Your list will likely be very long and feel overwhelming.  We will address that in a later exercise.  Just get it all down on paper…or an excel spreadsheet or a list app.  If you are considering a list app, I recommend one that allows you to creation sections or folders of lists.  This will come in handy in future exercises. 

Your list is organic.  You will continue to add and edit this list over time, including over the years.  This list will help you choose how to be intentional in your life. 

Recommended Reading

Intentional Living: Choosing a Life that Matters by John Maxwell