Taking Control of Your Life: Living with Intention

What does it mean to live with intention?

For philosophers, thinkers, and spiritual leaders over the years, the concept has taken on a variety of different forms, from the Buddhist concept of mindfulness to the existentialist belief in shaping the meaning of your life through the decisions you make. 

But no matter what lens you view it through, living with intention involves making conscious choices, setting meaningful goals, and actively pursuing a life that aligns with your values. It means taking control of your life, from your daily routines to long-term plans.

In this article, we'll explore various ways to live with intention, with a particular focus on how we make decisions about not just our lives, but our legacies. 

How to Live with Intention

The journey toward intentional living starts with self-reflection and discovery, then moves outward to how we operate in the world and how we interact with others. It is not a destination to reach, but rather a continuous learning process of thoughtful and purposeful living. 

As with any philosophy, living with intention can look different for different people. But here are a few strategies you can use to help you find perspective and start taking control of your life—and beyond.

Breathwork and Awareness

The world moves quickly. A barrage of information is coming at us from the moment we wake up until the moment we fall asleep. In this fast-paced world, finding moments of peace and cultivating mindfulness can be incredibly difficult. That’s where breathwork can help.

The simple act of focusing on your breath can serve as a powerful anchor that grounds you in the present moment. Practicing deliberate, rhythmic breathing allows you to create a space for heightened awareness where you can pause and collect your thoughts and feelings in peace.

Breathwork gives you the space and focus to take a mindful approach to decision-making. By tuning into your own breath, you can break up the endless cycle of reactive responses and impulsive actions. Achieving a heightened awareness through breathing exercises allows you to think critically and make conscious choices that align with your values and long-term goals. Daily breathwork can become a ritualistic practice that not only calms the mind but also provides the clarity needed for intentional living.

Self-Discovery and Learning

Living with intention requires a deep understanding of oneself. Before we can take control of our lives and make the right decisions, we need to take time to explore our interests, passions, and values to figure out who we really are. 

Embrace curiosity about who you are and what truly matters to you. Engaging in self-discovery and education, whether through formal channels or simply through personal experiences, broadens your perspectives and provides the springboard for personal growth.

Self-discovery means peeling back the layers to uncover your authentic self. This process enables you to better align your choices with your true values and desires, giving you a sense of clarity and purpose. 

To live intentionally is to constantly evolve as you reflect, reassess, and realign your life choices with the person you are becoming.

Spend Time with Loved Ones

Self-reflection and mindfulness give you the tools to live with intention and make meaningful choices, but it’s spending time with our loved ones that allows us to begin to put what we’ve learned into practice.

Spending quality time, sharing experiences, and strengthening bonds with your family and friends are the cornerstones of a fulfilling life. The love and connection we share with those close to us is our support system, providing celebration in times of joy and much-needed encouragement in times of pain and sorrow.

Living with intention also means recognizing the value of our relationships and investing time and effort into nurturing and improving them. By working on ourselves, we can be better sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, and friends to the people we love, enriching our lives.

Adopt Self-Care Rituals

Adopting self-care rituals is crucial to living with intention. Allowing ourselves to take the time necessary for introspection means we also need to give ourselves the time to heal and recharge. 

Self-care goes beyond the occasional weekend vacation or indulgent spa day (though those are nice, too); it involves developing consistent practices that promote physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Whether that’s through regular exercise, mindful meditation, or taking time for a hobby that brings you joy, these rituals become focal points in the ebb and flow of daily life that keep you centered and sharp.

It’s also important to remember that taking care of yourself is not a selfish act, but rather a fundamental aspect of intentional living. By prioritizing self-care, you are able to replenish your energy and resilience, giving you the strength you need to face life's challenges with a clear mind and open heart. 

Help Others

Living with intention extends beyond our personal fulfillment. Acts of kindness and volunteering can be one way to take what you’ve learned and use those tools to help others. By thinking beyond yourself, you not only make a positive impact on the world around you but also develop a sense of purpose.

Intentional living means recognizing the interconnectedness of all humanity. It's about understanding how your actions, no matter how small, ripple through the lives of others. By contributing to the greater good, you become an active participant in creating a more positive and compassionate world—one where intentional living is not just a personal choice but a collective effort.

Take Care of Your Family

When thinking about how to help others, a great place to start is with your immediate loved ones. Taking care of your family can take a variety of different forms and requires thoughtful consideration and planning. It may include financial planning, providing emotional support, or educating loved ones on the lessons you’ve learned in self-discovery.

When you work towards the well-being of your family, you extend the principles of intentional living beyond the individual to the collective, creating a generational legacy of love and support.

Make a Plan for Your Life—and Death

The pursuit of intentional living is all about taking control of yourself, your life, and your legacy. We decide the people we want to be and how we want people to remember us. When we think in terms of legacy, we extend our planning horizon to encompass both life and death. 

Life planning involves setting clear intentions and goals, aligning your actions with your values, and continuously revisiting and refining your aspirations as you grow. But life planning can also extend beyond what we want to accomplish in life to how we want to be treated in death.

Planning for your death, though it may be an uncomfortable subject, can be a significant part of intentional living. The process can include decisions about your end-of-life care, a living will, funeral arrangements, and the legacy you wish to leave behind. By making these decisions thoughtfully, you not only relieve your loved ones of the burden of uncertainty but also ensure that your departure reflects the same intentional authenticity that marked your life.

Crafting a comprehensive plan for both life and death completes the circle of intentional living. It is an act of empowerment and an intentional choice made with purpose. Whether you wish to be buried, cremated, or memorialized in accordance with your wishes or your beliefs, taking control of the process and providing instructions helps ensure your intentional living extends beyond life itself.

Becoming a Diamond

There are many options to consider when making plans for the end of your life. One unique and innovative approach to legacy is the concept of memorial diamonds. These precious gems, grown from cremated ashes, provide a tangible heirloom that can be handed down through generations, ensuring your legacy is carried on by your loved ones. By making plans to become a diamond yourself, you can turn this process into a final gift to your family.

Why Choose Eterneva?

At Eterneva, we believe memorial diamonds stand at the intersection of technology, craftsmanship, and storytelling. Our diamond creation process involves extracting carbon from cremated remains or hair to create a unique and genuine diamond. Each diamond we create represents a remarkable person's unique journey, capturing their essence in a beautifully crafted gem.

When you create a memorial diamond with Eterneva, it is not merely a mechanical and technological process—it’s a profoundly meaningful and intentional choice. The resulting gem becomes a symbol of remembrance of the unique story and impact of your loved one. Whether worn in a cherished piece of jewelry or kept as a precious heirloom, your memorial diamond serves as a constant reminder of an intentional life lived and an enduring legacy left behind.

Incorporating Eterneva into Your End-of-Life Plan

As you embark on the journey of intentional living, think about how you want to be remembered. If Eterneva's transformative process aligns with your values and desires for a lasting legacy, consider including it in your end-of-life plan.

Eterneva Blueprint allows you to pre-plan, design, and lock in pricing on a future Diamond for yourself or a loved one who has not yet passed, with a payment schedule tailored to your needs. If becoming a diamond is part of your intentional living journey, contact Eterneva and let us help you make your plans a reality.