Health doesn’t just happen — it is cultivated. It takes intention to create a healthy lifestyle. After all, your day-to-day decisions will drive the outcome of where you are a month or a year from now. So, it helps to pause and reflect by asking yourself: Where do I want to be? What do I want to be intentional about so that I feel more fulfilled? Being intentional with your time and what you want for yourself puts things into perspective and helps realign your priorities. Here are four ways to experience improved health and more happiness through intention.
Commit to a Goal
Often, what you want to achieve seems like a great idea, but it is just that — an intangible idea. It only becomes real once you commit to a goal. With goal setting, it helps to do a judgement-free assessment of where you are now. Consider where you’re thriving, and where you’re not feeling your best when it comes to your physical, mental, spiritual, emotional and social health.
Maybe you’re in great shape but you would benefit from a stronger support system, or vice versa. Whatever it is, think about why this change matters to you. Would having a stronger support system help you navigate challenging times better and enjoy the good times more? Would being in better shape allow you to do more activities with your family? Being intentional when setting your goal — understanding why you want that change and how you will benefit from that change — gives you a greater purpose to motivate you when working toward it.
Make a Plan
You may have heard the saying “a goal without a plan is just a dream”. While dreaming allows your mind to wander and think of creative solutions or new ideas, the success of those dreams is found by creating a goal that has an actionable plan. One of the best ways to do this is through creating a SMART goal. This type of goal setting stands for: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound. Using this framework will help you clearly define what you want and how to achieve it.
Vague goals — I want to improve my diet, or I want more social activity — take on the lens of a dream, or a wish, rather than a plan. Instead of these, try: I will eat healthier foods five nights per week, or I will participate in one activity or association that I’m interested in per week. These examples outline the “specific” and “measurable” aspects of a SMART goal. The next step is to ensure they are attainable (or reasonable) and relevant (an appropriate next step toward your desired result), and that there is a timeline in which to complete them. Here is an example of a fully outlined SMART goal for social activity: I will join a running group and make one new meaningful connection per month for the next five months. Consider how you can be more intentional by turning your goal into a SMART goal.
Establish Consistent Routines
Even when you have the best intentions when working toward a goal, there are still challenges. Many struggles — such as lack of time to make healthy meals or low energy — can be avoided by establishing consistency in your routine. This can look like habits such as exercise (helps with low energy) and meal prep (allows you to have healthy food ready on busy days). Or, it can be having a consistent wind-down routine before bed to help you sleep better. How you start the day also matters. The morning sets the tone for your day, so be mindful of this precious time. If you look at emails or social media when you wake up, you’re focused on other people’s agendas rather than your own priorities. Instead, nurture yourself through journaling, meditating, reading, exercising, or walking your dog. Putting consistent, intentional structures in place helps you prioritise your health and well-being, and within these structures, you can find ease and improved energy.
Practice Gratitude
It’s no secret that writing down what you’re grateful for has a positive impact on your health. Studies show that expressing gratitude helps the brain release dopamine and serotonin, two of the “feel good” hormones. People who practice gratitude also report greater goal attainment. Beyond this, showing gratitude for your experiences — whether it’s as small as a delicious meal or as big as a career achievement — helps you develop the skills to be more accepting of change, acknowledge yourself, and recognise growth. Gratitude relates to intention, too, as the act of writing down what you’re grateful for helps you review and reflect on goals you may have set and progress you may have achieved. Intention is a filter that gives us greater meaning and improved results. Once you implement it into your everyday life, you’re sure to feel its positive impact.
How DX4 Helps You To Be Intentional
DX4 is an all-new four-day programme that helps you balance and reset your body through nutritional products and supplements, guided nutrition, and mindset practices. You’ll set a goal at the start of the programme and be guided through intentional approaches to unifying the mind and body.
Contact me to find out more, or check out the video below:
