Living with Intention and Purpose
Living with Intention and Purpose
Have you ever looked at someone who seems to know exactly where they want to go, and what they want in life and thought… “I wish I could figure that out…”
Same.
For a long time – most of my life really - I had no idea what I really wanted... I just knew that what I was doing wasn’t it. I had some vague dreams… but nothing I could define – or articulate.
It wasn’t until I experienced deep personal loss, and the unravelling of everything I thought I knew about myself that came with it, that I began to really consider what it meant to live with intention - and how powerful it could be to align my life with values that actually felt like mine.
🤔 So… what is living with intention?
Let’s clear something up right away. Living with intention is not about perfection. It’s not about 5am green juice and working out. It’s not about the hustle of controlling every detail of your day, and it’s definitely not living some Pinterest or Instagram-worthy version of “purpose”.
Forget the rigid schedules, perfect morning routines, and tracking your macros while visualizing your five-year goals at sunrise.
Living with intention simply means:
- Knowing what truly matters to you
- Making conscious choices that align with those values
- Creating a life that feels meaningful - on your own terms
And the science says it actually matters. You don’t have to take my word for it - neuroscience backs it up.
When we live with intention and engage in activities that have meaning to us and are aligned with our values, our brains release dopamine - our feel-good, motivation-boosting neurotransmitter and chemical.
And unlike the short bursts of dopamine that we get from social media or sugar (guilty 🙋♀️), dopamine from aligned, purpose-driven living creates sustained satisfaction.
There’s more to it though:
- Your prefrontal cortex (decision-making centre) and parietal cortex (goal-setting helper) light up when you’re acting with purpose.
- Thanks to neuroplasticity, your brain literally rewires itself to support your growth.
- Living with intention reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol, helping to strengthen resilience and support our long-term mental and emotional well-being.
In a nutshell, living intentionally helps you feel better, cope with stress more effectively, and bounce back faster when life throws curve-balls.
How to Start Living with Intention (No Life-Overhaul Required)
You don’t need to burn it all down or move to a mountain-top to start living with purpose. Here are some gentle, doable ways to begin fostering your life of intention:
1. Reflect on what really matters to you
Family? Creativity? Service? Adventure?
Ask yourself why those things are important. Keep digging and figure out why those things have meaning for you.
2. Challenge the beliefs holding you back
Are you waiting until you “deserve” happiness? Think you need to be rich to do meaningful work?
It’s time to question those stories - because you are worthy now.
3. Look for evidence of what you want
Your brain is wired to notice the negative. Let’s jump that train and choose a different path.
Look for examples of people living with purpose. Read their stories. Follow them (the healthy kind of following, not the stalking kind 😉) to gather inspiration for what a life of meaning and purpose can look like.
4. Visualize your ideal life
What does it feel like? What are you doing? Who are you with?
Imagine it vividly! Our brains actually do not know the difference between imagination and reality, so when you begin to build that life in your mind it starts aligning itself accordingly.
5. Make choices (big and small) that are aligned with that life you are envisioning
When faced with a decision, ask:
“Does this move me closer to the life I want?”
“Will future me thank me for this?”
6. Create some sort of daily intention ritual or practice
Jot down one activity you are going to do each day (or that you have done) that aligns with your values.
Make a habit of writing at least one gratitude each day.
Read a quote, or a chapter of a book, each day that grounds you.
Keep it simple. Just keep showing up.
7. Celebrate your progress
Every small action matters.
Every shift in awareness is worth honoring, because the more we reinforce what’s working, the more we rewire our brains to keep moving toward our intentional life.
✍️ Reflection Prompt
If you’re journaling alongside the podcast (or even just thinking quietly in your car like I do sometimes), consider these:
- What are my values, and what actually matters most to me?
- Are there any inner beliefs holding me back from living more intentionally?
- What’s one small action I could take this week that aligns with my purpose?
Final Thoughts
Living with intention isn’t about becoming someone else. It’s about coming home to yourself.
It’s about remembering that it is possible to begin moving forward in our life at any time, and that growth is available no matter where we are on our journey. That even if something in life shattered your previous identity at some point - you get choose to rebuild it on your own terms.
You don’t have to have it all figured out.
You just have to begin.
🎧 Listen to the Full Episode
👉 Episode 9: Living with Intention and Purpose
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