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Abstract

/p><p id="6450">Using this practice will increase how much you retain from books and podcasts, and can help you grow immensely if you proactively implement what you learn into your life.</p><figure id="57ff"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*rZ7i4lFUOFhpGK2w"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/DgoyKNgPiFQ">Charles Deluvio</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><h2 id="564e">Movement and exercise</h2><p id="c8d4">I find this one particularly helpful, and tend to be intentional without even purposefully trying to be. I have been a fitness geek since I was 18, when my dad finally convinced me to join a gym. My family is an exercising family. My mom, dad, and grandma have been going to the gym for as long as I can remember, so exercise has always been at the forefront of my mind.</p><p id="2a43">Since that first day in the gym, I have voraciously been researching, learning, and experimenting with exercise and various forms of movement. This has led to me being very aware of why I am performing each movement, and what I am getting from it.</p><p id="d595">For example, when I perform a Romanian deadlift at the gym, I know I am working my posterior chain to benefit my core stability. I know there are benefits to lifting something heavy every day in regard to longevity. When I am out for a walk in the morning for my <a href="https://readmedium.com/these-are-the-7-reasons-you-should-exercise-in-the-morning-43e5569f009b">morning movement</a>, I know I am getting sunlight on my skin which resets my circadian rhythm for healthier sleep patterns, I know the exercise itself is also resetting my circadian rhythm, I know that the fasted pre-breakfast cardio after a cup of coffee is mobilizing fatty acids leading to greater fat loss, and I know that I am counteracting the effects of our sedentary lifestyle.</p><p id="d1ee">Being aware of why you are exercising will not only make it more meaningful, but it will make you more mindful during the process, with mindfulness having numerous benefits itself, and you will also perform the movements with better form as you are hyperaware of what you are doing.</p><p id="c0b8">This practice will make exercise more enjoyable and more effective.</p><h2 id="926c">Going to work</h2><p id="cd58">This one will vary highly between people, but having an awareness of why you are going to work is very important. Maybe it’s for the money — to support your family and pay the mortgage. Maybe you are saving for something — a house, or a vacation, or even a new phone. Maybe it’s deeper than that. Maybe you are going to work to help people live better lives, or to support people in their dreams.</p><p id="6e00">Whatever it is, know why you’re going. And consciously say it to yourself, or better yet, write it down, before you leave. Carry th

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is intention throughout the work day, and continually come back to it. When you experience frustration, boredom, or stress, come back to your intention. Use this as an anchor to carry you mindfully and meaningfully through your day. It will make your days a whole lot more enjoyable and meaningful.</p><h2 id="24af">Getting out of bed</h2><p id="b66d">Why did you get out of bed this morning? Maybe you had to feed the dog, or get your kids ready for school. Maybe it was to go to the gym. Maybe it was just so you could get to work on time.</p><p id="b909">Whatever it is, remind yourself of it before you get out of bed.</p><p id="5d87">Ideally, you want this one to be the most motivating and meaningful of all the reasons for doing something. Why you wake up each day is essentially why you are living your life. What were you brought here to do?</p><p id="e012">If you haven’t found your purpose, your Why, your reason for being, I recommend doing so. I wrote an article about it <a href="https://readmedium.com/the-morning-routine-that-will-help-you-find-your-purpose-eb80590e6321">here</a>.</p><p id="0ead">While getting the kids to school is important, it’s not inherently meaningful. Can you change the wording to something along the lines of, “To be the best parent I can possibly be and to empower my children to live the life of their dreams”? Can you find something that is meaningful and valuable to you, and incredibly motivating?</p><p id="4c05">Building on this, why are you living this day? This is the intention that so many meditation and visualization programmes encourage you to set. They ask, “What is your intention for today?” I always found this ambiguous, but now find it helpful to think of this as, “Why am I living this day? What is my intention for being here today?” Ideally, make it as specific as possible. For example, “I am living this day to become the healthiest version of myself, by eating 5 servings of vegetables and getting 10,000 steps.” Or, “I am living this day to empower others to achieve health and happiness, by coaching my clients with intention.” It can be anything. It just has to be meaningful and motivating to you.</p><figure id="9246"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*j3U7mlJfO48eHGbU"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/sBU0bW5UZjg">Kyle Johnson</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><p id="5cf3">The act of setting an intention is so simple yet incredibly powerful. This practice can be used in everything you do — from waking up in the morning, to the books you are reading. Setting an intention will push you to move through your day consciously and intentionally, bringing more meaning and purpose to your actions.</p><p id="7581">So why are you living this day? What is your intention for being here, right now?</p></article></body>

A Simple Practice to Get More Out of Every Day

The key to experiencing more meaning and happiness every single day.

How do we find meaning and joy in our lives, every single day? Many say gratitude — be grateful for all that you have and all that you are. Some say to find your purpose, or your Why, and align your life with this.

I advocate highly for both of those things, and every single day I practice gratitude and I revisit my reason for being.

But I think there is something else that is even more important, and a lot more practical to carry with you through your day, to achieve optimal levels of both happiness and health.

Intention

I even love the word. Intention.

But what is intention?

Throughout my self-improvement journey, intention has come up a lot. Setting your intentions for the day, and just being intentional in general. I always loved the concept, but didn’t understand it in practice.

So what is intention?

Intention is knowing why you’re doing something. It’s a simple practice, and generally only takes a few seconds. But it is profoundly important.

Intention will:

Bring meaning to everything you do, so that you can lead a more meaningful life
Align you with your purpose
Provide clarity
Facilitate growth

Here are some examples of what this looks like in practice:

Reading a book, article, or listening to a podcast

Before you even start a new book, article, or podcast, write down why you are reading/listening to this. What are you wanting to get out of it? What do you want to learn? How do you want it to change your life?

Starting a book or podcast with intention will ensure that you are proactively learning. So often, we listen to a podcast or read a book, learn so many profound insights that we know we are going to apply to our lives, and then as soon as the podcast is over or we put the book down, we’re on to the next one and we forget everything. And we definitely don’t make any changes in our lives.

The simple act of setting an intention and intentionally listening and reading is so powerful. To go even further, at the end of the book or podcast and before you start the next one, try to answer your intention. Did you learn what you wanted to learn? How will you apply it to your life? Did you learn anything else that’s worth remembering?

Using this practice will increase how much you retain from books and podcasts, and can help you grow immensely if you proactively implement what you learn into your life.

Movement and exercise

I find this one particularly helpful, and tend to be intentional without even purposefully trying to be. I have been a fitness geek since I was 18, when my dad finally convinced me to join a gym. My family is an exercising family. My mom, dad, and grandma have been going to the gym for as long as I can remember, so exercise has always been at the forefront of my mind.

Since that first day in the gym, I have voraciously been researching, learning, and experimenting with exercise and various forms of movement. This has led to me being very aware of why I am performing each movement, and what I am getting from it.

For example, when I perform a Romanian deadlift at the gym, I know I am working my posterior chain to benefit my core stability. I know there are benefits to lifting something heavy every day in regard to longevity. When I am out for a walk in the morning for my morning movement, I know I am getting sunlight on my skin which resets my circadian rhythm for healthier sleep patterns, I know the exercise itself is also resetting my circadian rhythm, I know that the fasted pre-breakfast cardio after a cup of coffee is mobilizing fatty acids leading to greater fat loss, and I know that I am counteracting the effects of our sedentary lifestyle.

Being aware of why you are exercising will not only make it more meaningful, but it will make you more mindful during the process, with mindfulness having numerous benefits itself, and you will also perform the movements with better form as you are hyperaware of what you are doing.

This practice will make exercise more enjoyable and more effective.

Going to work

This one will vary highly between people, but having an awareness of why you are going to work is very important. Maybe it’s for the money — to support your family and pay the mortgage. Maybe you are saving for something — a house, or a vacation, or even a new phone. Maybe it’s deeper than that. Maybe you are going to work to help people live better lives, or to support people in their dreams.

Whatever it is, know why you’re going. And consciously say it to yourself, or better yet, write it down, before you leave. Carry this intention throughout the work day, and continually come back to it. When you experience frustration, boredom, or stress, come back to your intention. Use this as an anchor to carry you mindfully and meaningfully through your day. It will make your days a whole lot more enjoyable and meaningful.

Getting out of bed

Why did you get out of bed this morning? Maybe you had to feed the dog, or get your kids ready for school. Maybe it was to go to the gym. Maybe it was just so you could get to work on time.

Whatever it is, remind yourself of it before you get out of bed.

Ideally, you want this one to be the most motivating and meaningful of all the reasons for doing something. Why you wake up each day is essentially why you are living your life. What were you brought here to do?

If you haven’t found your purpose, your Why, your reason for being, I recommend doing so. I wrote an article about it here.

While getting the kids to school is important, it’s not inherently meaningful. Can you change the wording to something along the lines of, “To be the best parent I can possibly be and to empower my children to live the life of their dreams”? Can you find something that is meaningful and valuable to you, and incredibly motivating?

Building on this, why are you living this day? This is the intention that so many meditation and visualization programmes encourage you to set. They ask, “What is your intention for today?” I always found this ambiguous, but now find it helpful to think of this as, “Why am I living this day? What is my intention for being here today?” Ideally, make it as specific as possible. For example, “I am living this day to become the healthiest version of myself, by eating 5 servings of vegetables and getting 10,000 steps.” Or, “I am living this day to empower others to achieve health and happiness, by coaching my clients with intention.” It can be anything. It just has to be meaningful and motivating to you.

The act of setting an intention is so simple yet incredibly powerful. This practice can be used in everything you do — from waking up in the morning, to the books you are reading. Setting an intention will push you to move through your day consciously and intentionally, bringing more meaning and purpose to your actions.

So why are you living this day? What is your intention for being here, right now?