living intentionally

Intentional Living – My Struggles & Triumphs


I have been working hard to live intentionally in the past few years. According to the Good Trade blog site, “Intentional living means understanding your fundamental beliefs and values, and then actively living your life in line with those values.” Every time I am thrown off my course and I tumble and fall, I tell myself not to let my feelings rule the day, instead let my values take the shot. Life may not be just black and white; through intentional living, we can choose our values and beliefs, or we can let others control our lives. It should be easy to do that. Is it? Living intentionally is a lifelong practice and requires staying in touch is our values and beliefs.

living intentionally

I have been struggling mentally for years. I always felt that while the whole world was speeding ahead, I was left behind. No matter what I did, I could not shake that feeling of “something is not right”. I got trained in mindful meditation and living in the moment. Nevertheless, I could not get rid of that something wrong feeling. I was less stressed but not mentally free. I can still remember, before taking mindfulness-based meditation training, I participated in a clinical study as an observer. I was told to close my eyes and let my hand draw whatever it wants, and in turn, activate my creative right brain. I was genuinely surprised when I saw a picture of me with my mouth taped shut while I was wearing a straitjacket. It was then I decided to act.

afternoon

I meditated every day, though exceedingly difficult at first, but with practice, I was able to handle my stress, and how I react to it. I felt free for the first time in my life, but I still could not get rid of the feeling of being left behind. It was not until I learned about intentional living that I felt in control of my life. I have learned that it was not about living minimally but deciding how I react to stressors and hardship. I did not trust my feelings but my beliefs. I started asking why before taking any steps.

In conclusion, living intentionally requires us to actively seek life based on our core beliefs. It’s not one shoe fits all option. Each person is unique in his/her own way. Hence, understanding these differences and working to incorporate such differences is the key.

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CAUSES CLOSE TO MY HEART

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I consider myself fortunate to have good health, a full-time job, and a roof over my head. However, there are still so many people who are struggling to put food on their tables. Please join me to help those who are struggling. If you have good health, full-time jobs, and a roof over your head, please join me to help those who are struggling. Whether you donate $5 or $500, you will make a huge difference in someone’s life.

No Kid Hungry:

America’s kids need us. The coronavirus is closing schools nationwide, and millions of vulnerable children are losing the school meals they depend on. For some, it’s the only food they’ll receive on a given day. We have a plan to feed kids, but we need your help today to continue our work to ensure every kid gets three meals a day. You can click above to donate to my gofundme page donation going directly to the organization, or you can click on the direct linkto the site.

Food Bank of Maryland:

Help make sure all hungry Marylanders have reliable access to nutritious food when you join Sustainers Circle.

Manna Food Center:

PLEASE DONATION ANY AMOUNT YOU CAN AND SHARE THE POST WITH EVERYONE YOU KNOW.

Manna Food Center, a nonprofit organization, strives to eliminate hunger in Montgomery County through food distribution, education, and advocacy. Millions of children go to bed hungry in America every year, sadly it’s worse now! Today, 14 million children regularly miss meals — three times more than during the Great Recession and five times more than before the pandemic.

Many parents have lost their job during the pandemic. Sadly, that shows no sign of stopping. Your donation can bring relief to the millions worried about where their next meal will come from. It’s even worse for Latino and Black families, whose rates of nutrition insecurity have spiked to 25% and 30%. In the world’s wealthiest country, this is unconscionable.

Even before the pandemic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated 37 million people in America struggled with hunger and nutrition. The Centers for Disease Control reports 76% of people killed by COVID-19 had at least one underlying condition, most of which were diet-related. Diet-related diseases also fuel skyrocketing health care costs, which rose from 5% to 28% of the federal budget in the past 50 years.

Let’s make the world better, kinder, brighter. Every dollar you give will create real change. $1 will feed 5 hungry children here in the US, but $1,000 will feed 50,000 starving children overseas. Be the good in the lives of many by giving right now.

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Mindful Afternoon – No More Midday Slump


Good Afternoon,

“When we are mindful, deeply in touch with the present moment, our understanding of what is going on deepens, and we begin to be filled with acceptance, joy, peace and love.”

— Thich Nhat Hanh

After a busy morning, I settle on my desk, people lazy and drowsy this afternoon. The tryptophan and serotonin from my lunch is competing forcing me to doze of. My eyes are telling me to let go and give in to the demands of the neurotransmitter. My brain is clouded by a thick fog. I can’t see I can’t focus through the haziness of the thick fog. My body is craving for a mid-day pick me up to clear the haze. I take a few deep breaths with with my eyes closed. Now, I am ready.

afternoon

The blazing midday sun shining brightly on my face. I look out the window of see the shimmering in the heat of the midday sun. The sunlit buildings across me, are piercing the clear blue sky and inviting me to join them in bathing in the warm light of the sun. The small pecks of dust mites are dancing in the warm sunlight, slanting through the window. The harmony of the scorching sunlight and the specks are dancing together like shimmering diamonds, and asking for my attention. I look out to watch the fluffy white clouds drift lazily in the gentle breeze.

I join the party with long deep breath followed by short spurts of exhalation. Now, we have a harmonious symphony of rhythm. I have a deep breath and lift my heals. Now my mind choice the rhythmic symphony as I rock up and down for 5 breaths. With these steps I invite my body to join the chorus. My spine moves side-to-side. What an invigorating experience!!!

I take a deep breath and reach my arm to a “T” position. With my inhalation I reach my right arm overhead and sway to the left. I take another breath and bring back my arms back to the “T”. Exhale and sway to right. I continue the rhythmic dance for 5 breaths. I finally end the dance number with a side twist. My body is relax my mind is relaxed and I am energized.

I now close my eyes and let my senses take over. I take few deep breaths with my feet on the ground. I hear the quietness of my surrounding and the sensations of my body. I focus on the bright sun warming my body, my heart beating as the drum beats to the symphony of the sparking specks and the shimmering sunlight. Now my sense of smell, sound, and touch is leading the orchestra. I surrender myself to the senses as I take long breaths.

I am now grounded and energized. Our breaths are always happening in the present moment, always in our bodies. They can act as anchors that can bring us back from our thinking about the past or the future.

I tell myself, “I am here now, I am here”. I get up and take a short 5-minutes walk to continue the practice of being grounded. I am ready to listen, to the blazing midday sun shimmering in the bright blue sky, and sparkling in the horizon. I am taking in the strong golden glow of the sun over the buildings and roads, captivated by the beauty and radiance.

My mind is clear, my body is energized by the afternoon sun, ready to shine and complete the essentials tasks a head. I am read. It’s great time to start with gratefulness, positive thoughts and planning to make it right. Good Afternoon!!!

How do you get over your afternoon slump? Do you have any afternoon rituals that you follow? I look forward to your comments.

Please subscribe to this blog or follow me if you have a WordPress account.  Don’t forget to check out my Facebook Page and follow me on Instagram. Are you on Bloglovin? Also please subscribe to my YouTube channel. Let’s support each other. Please follow me and comment below with your information so that I can follow you back.

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Toms: Get $20 off your first order at TOMS!

Door Dash: Get $30 off ($10 off each of your first 3 orders)

Uber: Sign Up to Ride. Use promo code
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Lyft: Get your free ride.

Grubhub: Sign Up and Enjoy. Get $10 off your first order

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CAUSES CLOSE TO MY HEART

PLEASE DONATE DIRECTLY TO THE ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH MY FUNDRAISING LINKS:

I consider myself fortunate to have good health, a full-time job, and a roof over my head. However, there are still so many people who are struggling to put food on their tables. Please join me to help those who are struggling. If you have good health, full-time jobs, and a roof over your head, please join me to help those who are struggling. Whether you donate $5 or $500, you will make a huge difference in someone’s life.

No Kid Hungry:

America’s kids need us. The coronavirus is closing schools nationwide, and millions of vulnerable children are losing the school meals they depend on. For some, it’s the only food they’ll receive on a given day. We have a plan to feed kids, but we need your help today to continue our work to ensure every kid gets three meals a day. You can click above to donate to my gofundme page donation going directly to the organization, or you can click on the direct link to the site.

Food Bank of Maryland:

Help make sure all hungry Marylanders have reliable access to nutritious food when you join Sustainers Circle.

SUPPORT ME

Your generous support will help me continue to bring contents to you.

Living Intentionally

Living Intentionally For a Better and Fulfilling Life


Hi there my beautiful lovelies! Today I will share will something that has helped me so much in every part of my life. It is called living intentionally.

Living Intentionally

What is living intentionally mean?

“Intentional living means understanding your fundamental beliefs and values, and then actively living your life in line with those values.” Intentional living isn’t a one-time choice. Literally, every decision you make should be made intentionally. You should always be searching out your goals, values, and passions.

What does living intentionally looks like in our daily life?

Intentional living is like taking charge of your finances and being responsible. In terms of everyday life, intentional living is taking charge of your finances and being responsible. You are living intentionally when you pick up good habits that will help you to live a life of meaning. It’s like changing your entire lifestyle. Finally, intentional living starts at the very basic. Since it is about making every decision based on our values, everyone’s intentional lives are unique to themselves.

How to live intentionally?

In order to start intentionally, you need to start at the very basics. Sit down with a pen and paper and write down your core values. Then on every step that you take, for every action make sure that you are upholding those values. Not sure what those core values are? That’s okay. Just be warned, intentional living requires a lot of deep thinking (especially when discovering your values). But if you can make it through that part, you’re off to a great start. Meditation can help you become self-aware.

According to Scott Jeffrey, a career and life coach, identifying core values begins by reflecting on meaningful moments, times of limitation, and necessities in your everyday life. He suggests asking yourself questions and zeroing in on peak experiences in your life, as well as the moments when you felt the need to suppress feelings, and the things which fill you up each day.

The Steps for living intentionally – Begin by Laying The Foundation:

Firstly, in order to live intentionally, remember that every morning is a new day full of decisions and opportunities. You get to pick your attitude and your decisions. You don’t have to let the circumstances of your past negatively determine the pattern of your life in the future. You have a choice in the matter. You do not need to be stuck in the same pattern of living that you have been for years. Just realize that every morning is a new opportunity.

Secondly, life is can’t be lived in a vacuum. It is lived surrounded by a culture that is moving somewhere. Living with intention will require you to take a step back and evaluate the flow of the stream to determine where it is headed, how it is affecting you, and if it is taking you in a direction you desire.

Finally, know who you are. Get a strong handle on your passions, talents, abilities, and weaknesses. Give precious time and energy to this endeavor. It is one of the most valuable things you can do.

Take Steps Towards a More Intentional Living:

The first to living intentionally, stope comparing your lives with others. You were not born to live their life. There is no sense in wasting yours being jealous of theirs. Instead, you were born to live your life – determine today to be good at it. After all, you only get one shot.

Next, identify what you want your life to communicate and contribute. Find a passion to live for that is bigger than yourself. Write it down. It will bring new meaning to your life. It will wake you from the slow death of only living for yourself.

Third, set goals for yourself. Goals move us and goals shape us. Set goals that are directly in line with your defined purpose and core values. By their very nature, they will introduce intentionality into your life.

Our values are our “North Star,” the guiding light in our lives. We can easily become overwhelmed by the pressures of society, the comparison trap, and other forms of shame—this is when we have to identify our values. When we’re able to unpack what really makes us tick, versus what we think should be motivating us, we discover that we don’t need to play by anyone else’s rules.

Fourth, stay focused on your goals and core values. We live in a world of constant connectivity and distraction that is begging for our attention nearly every moment of the day. Learn to turn off the distraction and live your life instead. Turn off the tv and don’t read gossip magazines. Remove nonessential physical belongings that are robbing you of time and energy that could be better spent living with intention. Mine is living in the moment and I take each step keeping that in mind.

Finally, learn from others. Successful people are curious people. They possess the humility to learn from others. Identify people accomplishing your purpose and goals. Then, study them and learn from them.

My dear lovelies! What is your opinion about living intentionally? Do strive to live intentionally? What do you do in order to practice of living intentionally? Please comment below.

In the meantime, please subscribe to this blog or follow me if you have a WordPress account.  Don’t forget to check out my Facebook Page and follow me on Instagram @forevernij. Are you on Bloglovin? Also please subscribe to my YouTube channel. Let’s support each other. Please follow me and comment below with your information so that I can follow you back.

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