December Intentions

I have been slowly trying to work on living more intentionally. 

While it seems like you should be able to just flip a switch in your life from autopilot to slowing down and really living with intention, it unfortunately doesn’t work that way. 

I made the decision to start reflecting at the beginning of each month on five things I want to be more intentional with, in hopes that by the end of the month they will become habits (still with intention, of course!).

I will keep this post short and sweet- let’s look at my December intentions.

1. Enjoy music again

    I am someone who deeply loves music. From classical, to melodic death metal, to edm, to 70’s rock, it is highly likely I can enjoy and appreciate just about anything. I have found myself avoiding playing music over the years and I cannot pinpoint why. Instead of withholding something I love any longer, I plan on embracing music again! It may seem silly as an intention, but I feel this will bring so much more joy to my life.

2. Spending less time on Instagram when I am at home

    I often find myself in a trap. I arrive home from work and before I get started on my cleaning and decluttering I will sit on the couch to scroll instagram. That is where I will stay. For hours. When I fall into this trap my housework gets pushed off, I feel sluggish, and my anxiety begins to creep up on me. This isn’t to say I will never use instagram at home, I simply plan on being more intentional about when and for how long I will allow myself to use it.

3. Save more money than I spend

With the holidays rapidly approaching, I thought this one was important for me to implement. I tend to go overboard this time of year and to reel myself back in, I plan on logging my savings vs. what I spend on gifts. My gifts are already far more intentional than they have ever been which has been helping me to avoid buying excess. Additionally, I have been having conversations with some family members about the possibility of us not exchanging gifts this year and instead enjoying the season and the things our family has to celebrate. 

4. Enjoying more dim lighting

    Let’s be honest, nothing is cozier than the warm glow of flickering candles or the lights on a beautifully decorated tree. Since we have far more dark hours in the day this time of year, I would like to set a peaceful mood in the home by enjoying dim lighting for at least a few hours before going to bed. It really helps me to relax and wind down after a long day working and homemaking. 

5. Showing my husband that I love him every day

I try to do this every day, but sometimes life gets busy. It is easy to take the ones we love for granted. I plan on being very intentional with my acts of love by choosing one thing every day, be it big or small, to show that I appreciate and genuinely care for him. It is easy to list the things we do to love those we care about, but that is not loving with intention, it feels more like trying to prove a point. I plan to be subtle but intentional and hopefully he will feel even more loved every day. 

As promised, short and sweet. Have you been trying to live with more intention?

If you made it this far, thank you. I hope you found some inspiration within this post. 

-Sophia