Overly simple definition of intentional living: lifestyle that is focused on what is important to you.
Other terms for this type of lifestyle include minimalism and simple living.
The Minimalists also have a great condensed definition listed on their website. The link to that can be found at the bottom of this post.
I gravitate toward the term intentional living because it clearly defines the lifestyle. There is confusion revolving the terms minimalism and simple living as many hear those terms and think “I like my things, I don’t want to throw it all away to just own a toothbrush, 2 sets of clothes, and a backpack.” On a side note, if you can do that, that is pretty cool and I bet your life is very interesting.
You do not have to live out of a backpack to try out intentional living.
Intentional living turns your focus away from the material items, bad relationships, wasted time or money, unnecessary thoughts, and more. When you take away the extras you can focus on who you want to be and how you want to live your life.
What does intentional living look like?
Intentional living does not have a set rules you need to follow. For me, I fell into it when I was sick of picking up stuff in my home and I wanted a solution. I realized that intentional living checked off a lot of the boxes that were important to me and things started clicking.
At the end of the day, it is a great way to check yourself and remind yourself of what is important. The life you lead is different from others. I may do certain things that other people have no interest in. That is okay. It does not make what I do less important for me. It does not mean you need to do those things.
Want to start doing something today?
It is my opinion that a helpful first step would be to put extra thought into your purchases. While physical stuff is only a part of intentional living, it is something tangible that you can see yourself working toward. Stop items before they enter your home. It is going to start making a difference immediately. You are also building this gut reaction of “will it add value to my life?” Fear not, this doesn’t mean you will never buy anything again.
It is my opinion that the next should be to learn more about intentional living. If you are going to be questioning things in your life, make sure you are in the right mindset to decide what goes and what stays.
There are many articles that state the first step of starting an intentional lifestyle is to declutter your life of physical things. I don’t think it should be the first step, but I do agree it is a good task to accomplish. It is amazing how much it clears the mind to have less to worry about. Every item you have needs to be taken care of and that takes up time and energy.
If you are about to jump off the couch and start decluttering then I would recommend finding a good home for the stuff you no longer need. Whether that is giving a box of sweatshirts to a homeless shelter, donating food you know you will not eat, or selling or donating unneeded items.
Once you get a little warmed up, then I say to go start tackling different areas of the house, if you want. If you live with others, start by only doing your own items. I have seen firsthand that by decluttering, it will often encourage others around you to do the same. If you try to force it on someone else, it will more than likely make them dig in their heels or else damage the relationship.
Common criticism
Intentional living is often looked at as unattainable for individuals that feel they don’t have much to begin with. If you feel like this is you, I encourage you to do more research on this anyway because it goes so much more beyond “stuff”. From money management tips to cutting out bad relationships to better time management, I personally have found it very helpful on my overall view of life.
Looking to learn more?
When I started researching intentional living, I began listening to The Minimalist podcast, reading books, reading articles online, and watching Youtube videos. I also joined a local Facebook group for The Minimalists. I have some great resources on my knowledge base that I highly recommend checking out.
My hope with this site is to add my own blog posts and other resources to help in getting more information out on intentional living along with how it relates to sustainability.
I want to end by reminding everyone that a lifestyle change doesn’t happen overnight. Small changes that help you get in the correct mindset are great. Be kind to yourself and the planet.
Resources:
