A new year and a new start — how will you make 2018 the best year yet? It’s so simple yet incredibly powerful: learn to live with intent. When you do that, you’ll rediscover every bit of happiness and beauty life has to offer.
Modern-day life is much like a high- speed train. The landscape is just outside the window, but most of us are going too fast to truly see and experience the beauty it radiates. People step off and on the train, always heading towards their new destination, the next to-do item on their list, the next big thing.
Soulful living is the perfect solution to this problem. Because life is about finding the happiness and beauty between destinations, not the destination itself.
What is soulful living, anyway?
It may sound complicated, but it’s actually the exact opposite. If you just make a conscious effort to live each moment with intent, you’re living more soulfully. Think about the times you’ve rushed to the office to get that extra 10 minutes of work in. Was it worth not taking the peaceful, more scenic route just to answer a few more e-mails? Probably not. In fact, chances are if you had taken a few extra moments to enjoy the scenery, the inner calm it created would’ve helped you be even more productive when you got to work.
Live with intent and create more joy
Mallika Chopra, daughter of spirituality guru Deepak Chopra and founder of intent.com, defines soulful living in a practical way. “Living with intent is living a life that is healthy and purposeful, but also joyful,” she told Time magazine. “It’s asking ourselves what will make ourselves happy. Intent comes from our soul, whereas goals come from our mind.” She believes that asking the following three questions will set you on the right path to living more soulfully:
Who am I? What do I want? How can I serve?
The answers might not be what you expect at first, she writes, but that’s okay. It’s a process.
Transform daily practices into meaningful routines
Soulful living doesn’t require you to drastically change your schedule, just to slow down your pace. We all have to eat, and we can make healthy, delicious choices that nourish us inside and out. We also need to practice good personal hygiene, and taking a luxurious bath instead of a quick shower has physical and psychological benefits that are profound and long-lasting. Our bodies need sleep to survive, but by taking the time to practice yoga specifically designed to improve sleep quality, you’ll wake up more refreshed and ready to take on the day than ever before. These are all small adjustments to your daily routines that will help you lead a more soulful life.
More simple ways to live soulfully
Maybe you’ve already been leading a soulful life without knowing it, or maybe you want to start today. Here are some ways to find out or inspire you to live with more intent:
- Take our exclusive test and get personal advice on how to create a more soulful home.
- Start a meditation practice.
- Do a digital detox.
- Read up on the subject of the soulful home.
- Create your own happiness project.
Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing more information about mastering the art of soulful living, particularly when it comes to your living environment. Don’t forget to keep visiting us for helpful hints that allow you to find happiness in the smallest of things.
