My #1 Tip for Everything: Start with Your WHY
How often do we stop and think: WHY am I doing this? Day by day, I am beginning to master the art of setting an intention and being purposeful in everything that I do. It’s easy to fall into the trap of waking up daily to the same life and routines, but if we start asking ourselves the real hard questions of WHY, we begin to weed out what is unnecessary in our lives and go towards a better way of living.
People often talk about this big thing of finding your life purpose and your mission, but how about we start cultivating the same sense of purposefulness and intentionality from our daily activities? Of course, we need a wider vision to know where we are heading, but it is in fact the day to day attitudes and habits that will get us there. It’s all about finding meaning in everything that we do, be it even the smallest task at hand, where we cultivate a sense of mindfulness and conscious way of living to counter the daily noises and distractions of the world.
I have been trying out this little exercise when planning my day. Other than writing down the tasks that you are going to do, write down next to it HOW you are going to do them, and WHY you are doing them. What purpose does this bring? Why does it matter to me? How will I show up? When you do so, you begin to find the motivation behind every task that you are doing and it makes even the most tedious task easier.
It also helps you to focus on the positive emotions that you want to feel, and rather than thinking ‘ this is just something I HAVE to do’, you begin to embody the whole experience and enjoy the process of doing things. I know it sounds a bit abstract but give it a go. I’ve discovered this process through a combination of meditation and journaling practice that has really helped me to tune in to myself and design the optimal day I want.
Start with visualising your overall day. How would you like today to unfold? What sort of experiences would you like to have? Where are you right now? It’s important to start with checking in with ourself as a whole person as our wellness are the building blocks and engines of our goals and ambitions.
Then, as you approach your daily tasks and run through your schedule of the day, bring intention and focus to your emotions and attitudes. What’s on your schedule? What are you going to do? And more importantly, how will you show up? Why is this task important for you? How would you feel when you have finished it? It makes all the difference when you begin to show up each day with joy and passion, and carrying a sense of appreciation and meaning for all the opportunities that you have.
