Are you living life to your potential, or are you merely existing? You should know that there’s a big difference between the two. When you learn to live with intention, you’ll see the many beautiful things you’ve been missing.
What is Purposeful Living?
The definition of being alive is that you are breathing, your heart is beating, and you have a body temperature of at least 98.7 degrees. Unfortunately, many people go through their given years with this necessary proof of life. Instead of being active and thriving, they feel as their life is dust in the wind.
Does that sound familiar to you? Everyone searches for a purpose in life. Have you discovered why you’re in this world and what is your destiny? Finding goals and meaning for your life may seem too complicated, but you can do it with purposeful living.
When you live with intention, every day is a new adventure. You refuse to be a victim of circumstance. It doesn’t mean that you’ll never have stress or unforeseen problems, nor does it mean you control everything. However, purposeful living allows you to choose how you will respond to situations.
1. Your Sense of Clarity will be Stronger
Do you know what you want in life? What are the things that are most important to you? Purposeful living can give you the clarity to know these things for sure. When you have a clearer vision, you will know areas that need improvement in your life.
2. You’ll Find a Sense of Calm and Inner Peace
Did you know that peace is not the absence of turmoil? Instead, it is finding an inner calmness regardless of the situations around you. While you can’t avoid all stress in your life, you can learn to manage it.
Countless studies show that too much stress can lead to mental illness, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, cancer, and premature death. When you live with intention, you gain the strength and inner peace to keep your stress levels at a minimum.
3. You Can Keep Things in Proper Perspective
Have you ever been a person who jumps to conclusions when unexpected things happen? Not only does this keep your body overflowing with stress hormones, but it creates a negative attitude. With a life plan of intent, you remember what’s most important to you, and it helps you keep things in their right perspective.
4. You May Achieve Your Goals Quicker
Do you have goals for your life? Unless you do, you will wander with no feeling of satisfaction. With better clarity and perspective, it can be easier for you to make decisions. As you focus on your goals and are aware of your actions, you can progress toward the things you want.
5. You Can Be a More Positive Person
Nothing dampens the mood more than a person who has negative attitudes. No matter how cheerful others try to be, these “Negative Nellies” can always complain and find fault. Most likely, these people are miserable because they haven’t discovered their life’s purpose.
A purposeful life creates a positive attitude that affects the people around you. Even when situations aren’t going your way, you intend to work them out and remain positive. Having positive intentions can attract optimistic outcomes.
6. You Have More Gratitude
People can usually tell those who live with purpose by the gratitude they show. Such a person was Rabbi Hyman Schachtel, who said that “happiness isn’t having what you want but rather enjoying what you have.” When you live purposefully, you already know what you want, and your heart is filled with gratitude.
Grateful people know how to treat others the way they want to be treated. They make it a habit to use good manners and say “please,” “thank you,” and “you’re welcome.” You can never expect more in your life until you are grateful for what you have.
7. Your Life can be Passionate
You are more apt to do something when you are passionate about it. When you live with purpose, you identify the most precious things to you and what you want to achieve. A life without passion and emotion is dull, empty, and meaningless.
Some of the most outstanding leaders made changes in the world because they believed in what they were doing. Consider people like Dr. Martin Luther King, Eleanor Roosevelt, Nelson Mandela, and countless other people who realized their destiny. Nothing ever happens without a dream and a purpose.
8. You Can Have More Trust
While it’s wise to learn people’s character before you fully trust them, chronic skepticism and mistrust only breed contempt. Do you find it easy to trust people, or are you always looking over your shoulder? Even the most mindful people can be taken occasionally, but not often.
When you’ve discovered your purpose, you easily connect with others who are on the same path. You learn more about who they are, and you know who is in your corner. Trust is a precious gift that must be given judiciously and with purpose.
9. You Have a Life of Integrity
Someone once said that you are only as good as your word. Since it’s impossible to separate you from your word, integrity is of the utmost importance. Knowing your life’s purpose helps keep you true to your promises and gives you a reputation of honor and trustworthiness.
In your purpose for living, you strive to help others with their life goals. Dishonesty and backbiting have no place in your goal chart. You will get along well with most people, and they will look up to you as an honest person.
10. You Will Learn to Forgive
Are you holding a grudge against someone who’s hurt you? It’s time that you forgive them. Bitterness does nothing but tears down your joy and wastes precious time. It can also stand between you and your life’s goals.
When you forgive people, you’re not excusing or forgetting the offense. It doesn’t even mean you want or need them back in your life. Forgiveness frees you to move on with your life and gives you the ability to continue with your purpose.
11. You Can Go with the Flow
Have you ever been around people who get in a frenzy when the unexpected happens? Just because you live purposely doesn’t mean that you won’t encounter road bumps on the journey. You learn to take life as it comes and deflect the negative to make it into something positive.
12. Purposeful Living Defines Your Values
There’s a difference between the things you believe and the things you know to be true. You can “believe” that you can drive, but you’ll only know it’s true when you get behind the wheel. A life of intention helps define your morals and separates them from your “preferences.”
You will also respect people for their system of beliefs and practices. While you have a clear map of your destination, you realize that there are many paths beside your own. You cling to what you know to be accurate and where you’re going in life.
13. You Will Have More Fun
It’s a wise person who can balance work and play. Just because you’ve set essential goals for your life doesn’t mean you have to work 24/7. Balancing the two is healthy so that you learn life isn’t all about taking things so seriously.
Numerous medical studies show that people who have a good sense of humor often have less stress, fewer diseases, and may live longer. If you intend to have joy in your life, know when to relax, laugh, and have fun. Good-natured humor also does much to create a positive atmosphere in a group.
14. You Can Be More Courageous
On your path to purposeful living, you’ll encounter things that may scare you. Being courageous doesn’t mean you aren’t afraid. It means that you know what you want, and you’ll step out with confidence. You will be more willing to ask for that raise at work, change careers, or ask a special person out on a date.
When you know your purpose, it’s as if you are reading the back of your life’s book. Now, it’s up to you to fill in the preceding chapters with actions that will fulfill your intentions. It takes courage, but you will be up to the challenge.
15. You Will Cope with Failures
If you are afraid of failing, then you’ll never accomplish your life’s goals. As you lay out your intentions, things won’t always go as planned. When you have been unable, you learn to get back up and try again.
Some of the most successful people in the world learned from their failures. Colonel Sanders’ famous chicken recipe was rejected at least 1,000 times before he met the right person. A producer told Oprah Winfrey early in her career that she’d never make it on television, and now she’s a media titan. The list of famous people who didn’t let failures get in the way of their goals is extensive.
Final Thoughts on Purposeful Living
You have the power to set the course for the rest of your life. When you have goals and work purposely on them each day, you’ll see changes. Your destiny is up to you, and it all starts with living with intention.
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