As we close out one month and move forward with a fresh 30 days ahead of us, I want to talk about the power of living with intention.
Living with intention is a pivotal mantra for me and has been the foundation of my life and programs for the past decade.
This mantra has helped me excel both personally and professionally, so today we’re diving into the powerful health benefits of this simple mantra of living with intention.
While simple and small, this mantra has the power to balance your mind, body and spirit, so let’s get into the 3 health benefits of living with intention, with number 3 being the most important, so make sure you read until the end.
Before we get into the benefits, let’s first define what living with intention means.
What Does Living with Intention Mean?
First let’s break down the mantra.
The word intention means to do something with intent or purpose.
Living is defined as being alive and the pursuit of a specific lifestyle, a way of living, so to speak.
Therefore, living with intention is about consciously aligning your actions with your core values, goals and beliefs.
It’s about making conscious, deliberate choices rather than reacting to life’s external forces or circumstances.
It involves being proactive, not reactive, and directing your life towards the path you truly desire.
When you’re intentional with your actions, it allows you to steer your life in the direction you truly want, rather than blindly going about your life and being a passive participant.
You may be wondering, why does living with intention matter and how does it impact my health?
Why Does Living with Intention Matter?
We are living in a crazy, distracting, fast-paced world these days, which is why it’s extremely important to focus your focus and live with more intention.
When you’re not conscious or in control of your thoughts or actions, and ultimately going with the flow living by default, you’ll wake up one day, look at your life, and wonder how you got to where you are; which, unfortunately, is how a majority of society lives.
This default way of living not only has negative consequences on the trajectory of your life, but also your happiness and overall health.
This is because living intentionally often leads to healthier lifestyle choices that align with the life you want to live…hence living with intention.
So, let’s get into the 3 ways this mindfulness-based approach has a positive impact on your health.
3 Powerful Health Benefits of Living with Intention
#1 Reduces Stress
Living with intention promotes mindfulness, and mindfulness has been proven to reduce stress.
By being present in the moment and making conscious decisions, you can manage your stress more effectively, which lowers your stress hormones and improves your overall health.
With stress being considered a silent killer, and at an all-time high in today’s modern world, you may find it difficult to stay present in the moment.
If that is you the #1 Book I recommend to my clients to help with this is “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tollee.
Some may find it odd that I, being a Nutritionist, recommend books to my clients.
However, with me being a Holistic Nutritionist, I look at the whole of a person and get to the root cause of their eating habits and patterns which for most people are related to their stress levels or emotions.
That’s where the psychology of nutrition comes into play and why living with intention is of the utmost importance.
*Quick disclaimer about this book: as the saying goes, “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear”.
If you’re fairly new on your mindfulness journey, you may not be in a space to receive the information found in this book initially. If that’s the case, put it back on the shelf and pick it back up when you’re ready. It is one of those kinds of books, but don’t give up on it or you and your mindfulness journey.
Moving along.
#2 Improves Mental Well-being
Intentional living encourages self-awareness and reflection, similar to Intuitive eating.
It makes you more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and actions, allowing you to make decisions that align with your true self, which positively impacts your mental health.
Living intentionally provides a sense of purpose and direction, reducing feelings of anxiety and depression, by making conscious choices that align with your values and goals, which is an automatic mental boost.
When done consistently, living with intention improves your outlook on life and overall mental well-being.
#3 Improves Eating Habits
When the first two benefits are successfully addressed through intentional living, your eating habits typically improve as well which is a win, win!
A motto of mine that I use to help my clients with this is: Live with Intention, Eat with Intention!
When you are mindful and walk with intention, you have more control of what you eat and are less likely to resort to stress or emotionally eating that packs on the pounds.
So as you can see, living with intention is not just a new-age philosophical concept; it has real, tangible effects on our health.
By reducing your stress, improving your mental health, and eating habits, you’re truly embodying a well-rounded, holistic approach that leads to a healthier, better version of yourself.
While the mindfulness journey won’t always be easy and requires some discipline, it’s so rewarding and well worth the effort to be more intentional with your life and your health.
Living with intention Is empowering when you’re taking control of your life and making decisions that reflect who you truly are and where you want to be.
So, I challenge you to start living with more intention for the next 30 days and see how you and your health improve.
Until next time!
Health & Happiness
💚 Jennifer
