Live Intentionally or Reactively: How to Live a Life That Aligns with Your Values
Intentional Living asks you to clarify your values and set goals for your life that align with them.
It is a set of logical, grounded, and structured daily practices to help you align with your goals and values. Taking daily intentional actions to live these values and achieve goals aligned with your dreams is what intentional living is about.
Are You Intentionally Living the Life You Want?
I know I wasn’t always living intentionally, and it is still an effort at times. How about you? Have you asked yourself lately how you genuinely want to live?
If you’re like me, it’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of everyday life checking tasks off, replying to emails, and handling responsibilities.
Soon, we find ourselves living reactively, responding to life and having no time left at the end of the day.
I’ve been through that. I used to tell myself I’d go back to my dreams “when I had time.” However, the truth is that time never just appeared, I had to create it.
What Does Living Intentionally Mean?
Living intentionally means you consciously decide how you will live your life, in all ways, big and small.
It’s what allows you to design your life just the way you want it.
You’ll make decisions once and then follow through on those decisions every day.
Living intentionally means choosing how you spend your time based on what matters most, making sure you fit those things into your day.
Doing What Matters Most
It’s knowing what matters to you and why, and then aligning your actions, choices, and decisions with those values.
It’s about aligning your daily actions with your core values and long-term goals, and ensuring you make time and take actions that reflect them.
You determine how you want your life to look by making intentional choices that mirror your values, passions, and purpose, prioritizing your personal goals.
The commitment to living intentionally becomes a lifestyle that honors your values and helps you make decisions that keep you in alignment with them.
The Benefits of Intentional Living
- Prioritize what we love and say no to other people’s agendas.
- Set meaningful lifestyle goals that result in living our dream life.
- Create daily rituals that nourish our soul and help us be our best selves.
- Say no to distractions that waste our time and steal our focus.
The key is knowing what you want and taking the time to incorporate the things that matter most into each day of your life.
Reflective Questions to Clarify Your Values and Vision
Getting clear on what truly matters to you takes thoughtful examination of the life you are living and the one you want to create. Start by asking yourself what you do and don’t like, want, or have.
Self-Reflection Questions:
- What do I truly value?
- What kind of life do I want to create?
- Am I living a life I love?
- Also, review your “Someday” goals; there might be a hidden dream there.
Journal Prompts for Clarity
Journaling is a great way to get in touch with what matters most and identify your values. Pick up your journal and try these prompts:
- What do I want to do differently with my life?
- How do I want to spend my days?
- What core values guide my decisions?
- Who do I want to share my life with?
- What activities feed my soul?
- What would I regret not doing?
- What did I once love that I no longer make time for?
Or simply make a list of your likes and wants versus your dislikes and don’t-wants on a blank page.
Do a mind dump of all of your thoughts about your current life and the life you would love to live.
You will start to see how your life measures up to your ideal life and the changes that you will need to make to align your actions with your values and dreams.
After you answer each question, ask yourself: Why is this important to me? Keep asking “why” until you discover your deepest motivation, your biggest why.
This process will help you focus on your core values so you can include the things that matter most in every part of your life.
The Big Picture: How Do Your Values Define Your Life?
Whatever is important to you should have a place in your life. In addition, your life should honor your values and morals.
Your values are the things that matter to you, things you respect and aspire to, things you want to make sure you uphold in your life.
Values like honesty and integrity, contributing to your community, being patient and caring, putting family first, and always giving your best.
Living intentionally means making your values a priority and striving to meet the standards you set for yourself. And surround yourself with people whose values you admire and respect.
Turn Your Values into Daily Actions, Habits, and Rituals
Once you identify what matters most, turn those values into actions that become part of your daily routines.
Examples of Intentional Daily Activities
- Exercising
- Having meaningful conversations with loved ones
- Gathering the family around the table for meals without cell phones
- Practicing meditation
- Continuing your education or learning about a topic that calls to you
The idea is to reignite your spark, make time each day for what you desire, and love each day. They aren’t just “nice-to-haves” ; they are your life goals and values in action.
And recognize the actions and goals you need to implement and achieve to live your most fulfilled life.
Writing is vital to me, and I need to dedicate time to it every day. Whether it’s good or messy, I have to write. It helps me process what I’ve learned and stay focused on my passions.
I love learning how our thoughts and feelings affect our lives and influence what we do. I love researching and reading the works of thought leaders.
I get excited and want to share what I learn with others to help them grow and live their best lives.
I also treasure my time outside on the patio by the pond reading, reflecting, and connecting with nature while I write; this practice brings me peace.
These have become habits and rituals that allow me to express myself and keep me grounded.
My life wouldn’t be as meaningful without them. They remind me of my identity and purpose.
I know for sure that when you incorporate meaningful habits and rituals into your daily and weekly routines, you’ll notice increased joy and fulfillment in your life.
Setting Goals Will Help Ensure You Live Your Dream Life
At times in our lives, we have thought about what we want to do when we reach certain milestones or retire.
However, we rarely consider what we truly want our lives to look like as a whole. We also forget that what we do daily ultimately becomes our life.
I often talk about goal setting. I know it’s boring, but it’s necessary. There are many types of goals. A whole life includes all of them.
You probably know most of these, but let’s review them:
Types of Goals:
- Short-term goals: Your objectives for the next few weeks or months.
- Long-term goals: What you’re aiming for over the next few years.
- Life goals: The non-negotiables: what you aim to accomplish in your life and how you want to live it.
- And then there are the Someday goals. Those wants that you keep saying, “Someday I’ll”… remodel the living room, go back to school, learn to speak Spanish… goals you really don’t have a timeframe for or a big enough motivation to turn into short- or long-term goals.
If you haven’t set or reviewed your life goals recently, now is a great time.
Recommended Resource: Your Best Year Yet! by Jinny Ditzler
If you’re ready to live more intentionally, I highly recommend this book.
It serves as a powerful guide for setting and reaching life goals that truly reflect who you are, helping you not only live your best year but your best life!
Why it’s worth reading:
- Reflect on the lessons learned over the past year: what worked, what didn’t. What to keep, what to let go of.
- Identify your most important goals and values.
- Create a personalized plan for your best year.
“The strongest motivation for doing Best Year Yet is to find a way to live your life so it shows what matters to you so you are true to yourself.” Jinny Ditzler.
Get the book here (I earn a small commission if you buy through my affiliate link at no cost to you. I only recommend what I truly use and love.)
My Journey Toward Intentional Living
For years, I supported everyone else’s dreams, until I realized I had forgotten my own.
That realization inspired me to focus on personal growth, goal setting, and the power of belief in creating the life I envision.
Eventually, I became a Discovery & Accountability Coach and a Certified Dream Coach®, helping women rediscover their dreams and live intentionally.
I’m also pursuing my dream of making a difference, becoming a motivational writer (and confronting all the insecurities that come with it) by sharing what I’ve learned and hoping to inspire others through the written word.
My Thoughts for You: Choose to Live with Purpose
You have a choice: live reactively or live intentionally. Begin by understanding what truly matters to you and surrounding yourself with support.
Living with intention means aligning daily actions with your core values for a more authentic life. Discover more tools for intentional living at my resourses page.
Reflect On How You Are Living
If you’re new to intentional living, assess your current habits. Ask what you would change to make your life happier and better, aligning your time with your priorities.
The Steps to Start Living Intentionally
Become aware of your habits, then decide on your priorities. Evaluate your commitments by asking if they align with your goals, and eliminate what doesn’t.
Living Intentionally Enhances and Simplifies Life
View every decision through the lens of intention to transform your life, creating more joy and time for what matters. Start living intentionally today!
Words Worth Reading to Further Your Growth:
Living Intentionally: How intentionality enables success, fulfillment, and growth by Joe Gagnon
Living Intentionally will teach you how to:
- Define your purpose and reconnect with what truly matters
- Create daily habits that support long-term success and well-being
- Turn discomfort into a source of clarity, strength, and growth
- Balance ambition with presence, and performance with peace
This is more than a book. It’s a toolkit for personal transformation and a mindset for thriving in work, life, and beyond.
And – a little more metaphysical, but you will learn so much!
Intentional Living: Eight steps to leading an infinitely fulfilling life by Jane Wallace
Intentional Living is a soothing guide that celebrates key daily practices and rituals that can help us to restore harmony and transform our lives for the better.
These and other books also available on: Audible and Kindle Unlimited