Hi, I’m Dr. Tiffany Shelton Mariolle, neuropsychologist, published author and founder of modAmbition (modern aesthetic 2-in-1 goal planners)

10 Habits to Live More Intentionally - Live a Life You Love

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Ever feel shackled by obligations, things you should be doing, or even life circumstances? It’s time to break free from the bondage that’s keeping you from living life exactly how you want to. In this episode, I am going to share 10 habits that will help you live life more intentionally so you can live a life you love. 

 

When you aren’t living life on your own terms it can feel like a wild horse ride led by impulses, life circumstances, and the will of other people. It’s time to take the reigns of your life and ride into the sunset like a bedazzled Beyonce upon your disco horse. 

 

As a psychologist, Ive helped many people stop waiting on the perfect scenario to live life on purpose. And I can tell you there’s no better time than now to create and live the life of your dreams.

If you’re ready to live life on your own terms, let’s jump right into these habits. 

 

1. Periodically clarify your values.

Living an intentional life must first be defined by what’s most meaningful for you. Your values are like the compass to your intentions, otherwise you’ll fall back into living a life on other people’s terms. 

1. Values clarification exercises:
1. Evaluate your heroes and the qualities you love about them
2. Eulogy exercise
3. Jason R. Waller of medium.com: Who Am I? Exercise
4. In the modAmbition planner within the goal planner section there is also an exercise to clarify and prioritize your values before setting goals

2. Explicitly define your intentions

1. How: (the first three ideas are also included as exercises in the modAmbition planner)
1. Illustrate the highest version of yourself
2. Create moon and star goals aligned with your values
3. Create a vision board
4. Practice scripting 

 

3. Strategically plan with intentions in mind

Brian Tracy said, “Action without planning is the cause of all failure. Action with planning is the cause of all success.”

Obviously the modAmbition 2 in 1 goal planner and 90 day planner was designed to help you live life more intentionally and stay on track with your goals, but whatever way you choose to plan make sure that it’s strategic and aligned with your larger intentions

4. Practice gratitude and come from a place of abundance.

1. Living intentionally is about creating a life that you love, but also appreciating everything you currently love in life. This way of being creates a constant intentional flow of abundance
2. Gratitiude practices you could consider implementing include:
1. Gratitude journaling
2. Nightly gratitude practice aloud with your partner
3. Gratitude jar
4. Morning gratitude prayer 

5. Now this next habit may sound strange but it may be the most effective thing you can do when it comes to intentional living and nobody really talks about this! And that is to bring light to your shadows.

What do I mean by this? I mean elevate your consciousness.

1. Carl jung said, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will rule your life and you will call it fate.”
2. As psychologist, I’ve spent may years studying how unconscious drives can deter our efforst to live life on our on terms. This can show up as defense mechanisms, replaying early schemas, limiting beliefs, trauma responses, addictions, and even fears just to name a few. 
3. Here are some ways you can consider for bring light to your shadows:
1. Introspection with things like journaling, meditation, mindfulness of your emotions, and therapy.
2. Reflection with things like habit tracking, goal tracking, and examining obstacles and challenges
3. Radical acceptance: accepting difficult challenges that cannot be changed and using them to become better and more intentional

6. Habitually protect your peace.

You can’t live a life you love if you let something or someone steal your joy at every corner. There will be difficult life events, negative thoughts, and even people that pop up along your intentional living journey. The key is to know how to protect your peace when you encounter these things. Here are tools tha you may find helpful:

1. Thought restructuring techniques for negative thoughts, which is a fancy way to say choosing another thought when you encounter negative or unhelpful thoughts
2. Boundaries around your time and boundaries to prevent people pleasing
3. Self-care - the proactive and preventive approach to protecting your peace. Taking care of yourself mind, body, and spirit so that you are living from a full cup with energy to navigate living life intentionally. 

7. Create space for connection with your Higher Self

1. You need time to be with yourself
2. To distance yourself from your thoughts, emotions, and sensations and simply be.
3. This time will foster a strong connection with your Highest Self, the place inside of you from which all your values and desire pour
4. Habits that can foster intentional stillness
1. Meditating each morning
2. Mindful coloring
3. Gardening
4. Yoga
5. Listening Prayer

8. Habits to prioritize your health

, afterall what’s a life you love, you don’t have your health to enjoy it. Some habits that may make it easier to prioritize your health include:

1. Healthy meal planning and meal prep
2. Exercise routines
3. Supplement routine
4. Regular body work like massage therapy
5. Annual check ups
6. Optimal dental hygiene

9. Create Intentional spaces 

1. Showing up intentionally is so much easier when your spaces support you to do this. Creating intentional spaces will help you thrive versus just surviving and going through motions each day.
2. Here are 3 things that can help you create intentional environments to thrive:
1. Declutter and essentialize your spaces
2. Intentional organization optimized for the function and purpose of the space
3. Joyful decor that reflects your values

10. Segment Intending and Preparation

1. What is segment intending? Abraham Hicks says “Segment intending is just about being aware of yourself in your surroundings and what’s coming next. It’s a redefining by you of the intentions that you hold in this second.” 
2. I have a specific video on how to do segment intending for manifestation on my channel that I will link below.
3. In the modAmbition planner there are prompts to write intentions for your day, week, month, and quarter to make sure you are living life on purpose
4. Once you have defined your intention for the segment you are moving into, it’s helpful to think about what can you do to prepare for this segment. In other words what can you do now that your future self will thank you for.  

 

I would love to end this blog by offering an intention for you this week: 

May you deliberately create a life you love and enjoy the journey along the way.

Cheers to planning, manifesting, and enjoying your dream life.

"This article really helped me to learn about intentional living and gave some great intentional living quotes ! If you want to go beyond just the intentional living aesthetic and be more intentional everyday use this article to design your life in a way that is your fream life and enjoy the slow living lifestyle."