Intentionality

Intentionality.  That word is coming up a lot for me lately, and I have decided it will be my "word" for 2015.  ;-)  I wrote this post for ME, but I think I'll go ahead and share it, if it might help anyone else also.

So what does Intentionality mean??

The word intentional means "done in a way that is planned or intended".

The way I use "intentionality" >> being purposeful about something in my life; intending something to happen that I plan and set goals towards.  And I follow through by putting weight and value on those goals, but trying my best to keep my focus on how awesome it's going to feel to make that goal!  :-)  I start strong; I keep recommitting to my goal(s) daily/hourly/minute-by-minute as needed to get through the super hard middle; I celebrate smaller goal steps along the way.

I have a weight gain that needs some very serious intentionality ASAP for the first time in my life.  Losing weight by denying oneself comfort foods, and fitting in regular exercise into my already crazy busy schedule is HARD.  Add to that… no diet of any kind has ever lasted me more than 6 weeks in the past.  Why??  My leadership trainings with doTerra have finally given me insight into this one big struggle in my life (among others).

In the past, I always intended/hoped/anticipated losing weight, getting aerobic exercise on a regular basis, and developing some muscles, and thus feel better all around.  :-)  Who wouldn't want to look and feel healthier?  But it was a plan doomed to failure.  Why??  Because I was never previously INTENTIONAL, all along the way, about my weight loss/exercise goals.  I can buy all the veggies and salads I want… but if I still rationalize those little treats of dessert, chips, and other high calorie foods along the way… just WHOSE FAULT IS IT when I fail to lose the weight and make my stated goal?  Why do I/we go around blaming other people, special occasions, vacations, treats at work, samples and end displays at the stores, eating out??  Was I truly being intentional and 100% committed to my goal?  Awww… we're all human, right?  Yes we are.  And yes we'll epically fail now and again.  But a stated goal is DOOMED TO FAILURE if we never, ever accept that we need to plan ahead, schedule in, and WORK on our intentions.  We need to have some serious Intentionality for our goal to succeed.

So how does that look in practice?  We have 2 kiddos still living at home.  One had a birthday 2 weeks ago, and begged for my special chocolate chip recipe.  You're kidding me.  I can easily eat a dozen of those at a time… and before they are even baked!!  I made sure to wait until late at night (full stomach), and I made them quickly, cooled them, and boxed up the cookies that needed to go to school.  I immediately made lunch-box-sized packs out of the rest, and put them in the back of the freezer.  It was HARD, but I only snitched the equivalent of 1.5 cookies  :-).  THEN our guy requested a chocolate cheesecake for a birthday cake!!  My fave dessert??!!  I searched 3 stores for a small one.  None… large or small.  So I baked one.  Sigh… only 1/3 vanished at the birthday party.  4 days later, it was getting super hard to not want to grab a big piece out of that freezer!  So hubby suggested I toss it in the garbage.  WHAT??  We can DO that??  What about the old "I need to eat this all up to get rid of it" rule?  Oh… that wasn't a rule… just an excuse.

Although in general, one should not purchase food and let it go to waste… I give you (and myself) permission to throw or give away whatever is tempting you too hard inside of your home.  Our children WILL survive having no homemade cookies/desserts in the home during this season, contrary to what they say.  ;-D

And we can apply Intentionality to all areas of our lives.  Do you want to get rid of those paper piles?  Schedule times on the calendar to address them, and follow through as if it's a paid job.  Give yourself a deadline, if you are a procrastinator like me.  Any old magazines you have not read by [pick a date] >> go to the recycler or library share bin.  You can do this!

Do you want to save $100/month?  Set up the savings account, and see if your workplace will deposit $100 into it, before the rest goes to you.  No?  Make that firm commitment to yourself.  Deposit your paycheck and then immediately turn around and transfer that $100 into savings.  And then be intentional about not touching it for the rest of the month.

Do you want to spend time with God daily?  Schedule it in deliberately.  Set the alarm if you need to.

Find an accountability partner or Facebook group to help you through hard goals.  An intention shared publicly shows intentionality  ;-D.

If you are visual… post pictures and words and phrases everywhere, that will best help you.  Move them around at least once a week… so they don't become background noise.  If you are auditory… record some inspiring messages for yourself.  Get accountability partners that can call you, and you them.  If your love language is gifts… schedule yourself a small treat for each minor goal achieved.  It does not have to involve spending $, if you get creative.

Find encouraging people to… just encourage you!  There is WAY too much negativity in the world today, and we probably already hear way too much negative self-talk, right?  In fact, have some Intentionality in 2015 about encouraging those around you this year  :-).  And if they react in a negative way… gift them with a big smile.  They obviously are in need!

Cyberhugs.  Have a blessed 2015  :-).