Aug 10
23
Permanent Weight Loss Strategy #4–Live Intentionally
“Be planted firmly in the driver’s seat of your own life.”
Are you planted firmly in the driver’s seat of your own life? Or are you lost in the cacophony of a too-busy lifestyle where one activity blurs into the next without a moment to re-group and catch your breath?
In a society that has bought into the belief that “time is money,” we have taught ourselves to live life on fast forward. So we are left skimming across the surface of life in states of re-activity that blur our priorities, obscures our life-vision, and stifles our creativity and problem-solving skills. In short, we have trapped ourselves in lifestyles that are un-balanced and un-intentional.
Such a lifestyle cannot support health and wellness…or sustain permanent weight loss. To live an intentional life you have to give yourself the opportunity to live from a deeper, quieter place—below the chaos, below the re-activity, and below your superficial desires for immediate relief and gratification.
Yes, you will need to slow down. You will need to carve out moments to be still and to be quiet. You will need to give yourself the time and space to listen for the instructions that only come from deep within you—from your internal guidance system, your authentic self.
Your authentic self is the deeper part of you that not only is constantly pushing you towards greater levels of success, health and wellbeing, but also knows how to get you there. The voice of your authentic self is always speaking. Do you hear it? It is there to inform your decisions and guide your next steps.
Are you listening?
Living an intentional life requires that we act upon the guidance of our authentic selves; the still, small voice from deep within. The model for intentional living is very simple. However, it does require that you make conscious, moment-by-moment choices to engage a regular practice until that practice becomes a habit:
Slow Down: Most people will never reach a point in life where they feel like they have enough time. Life is going to keep coming at you with the next twist, the next turn, the next curve ball. If you are waiting until you have more time, you will never occupy the driver’s seat of your life.
Sit down today and decide what is truly important to you according to your life-vision (See Winning Strategy #3). Let go of the distractions, the obligations, and the guilt. Prioritize your daily and weekly schedules to reflect what is most important and sustaining to your long-term success, health and wellbeing.
Be Still & Be Quiet: Carve out the time and space in your daily schedule to spend some quality time with your deeper and most authentic self. You will develop the right techniques for yourself over time, but try at least something today: breath deeply, ask yourself a question, and then be still and quiet and wait for an answer to bubble up from deep inside. You will instinctively know it is the right answer at this moment in time.
Simple! And the results will speak for themselves. Other techniques that you can try are journaling, contemplation, meditation, and centering prayer.
Act Intentionally: Use the guidance you receive from your authentic self to inform your next course of action. Then, intentionally take the very next step. It is never enough to just make a decision. You must be willing to take action, even when it is scary or uncomfortable.
In writing this I am reminded of the words from one of my favorite modern philosophers, Dr. Seuss:
On and on you will hike.
And I know you’ll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.You’ll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with you left.And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!
(Excerpt from: Oh, the Places You’ll Go!)
It may take some time to stop all of the spinning and get yourself planted firmly in the driver’s seat of your own life. Until then, be gentle with yourself and allow yourself to feel satisfied with all of the small, intentional steps you are taking.
Remember that money is not the only thing that occupies the space of time. Serenity, health, and wellbeing are there for all those who slow down, carve out moments of stillness and quiet, and dare to live intentionally according to the guidance of their authentic selves. Work, rest, play, live intentionally…and be well!
