This is the year to focus on creating your intentional life. Living an intentional life calls you wake up and to deepen your life. Living with intention calls you to live at your full potential while also reducing your chronic stress that can lead to mental and physical illness. Intentional living consists of three key factors that can affect you physically, emotionally, and spiritually. There are three ingredients, or components that are the foundation for living an intentional life.  They are Awareness, Choice, and Energy from this Experience, which is easy to remember as ACE your life.  The key is to become aware of these three key elements in your life and learn how to navigate them.

ACE Your Life

A=Awareness

Living an intentional life begins by developing your Awareness (A) of the daily experiences of your life, by “listening to your life.”  Listen to what ignites your passion and creativity, to what gives you energy. Listen to what drains you, distracts you, and irritates you. These are the first clues to becoming more conscious of the nature of the life you now live, the one you have already created.  Write down what you are becoming aware of in your life. Make a T account with a plus sign or credit on one side and on the other side of the line down the center of the page put a minus sign or a debit on this side of the page. Make lists of what persons, places, events or thoughts give you energy and those that are sucking your energy and thus your happiness.

C=Choice

This awareness leads to a desire to exercise intentional Choice (C) in your life. You may not control many of the circumstances in your life, but you can choose your attitude and intentions in response to these circumstances. Your life is also the result of a series of your choices you have already made.  It is time to take responsibility for your life. Victim mentality ends when you understand the power of your choice and the freedom or bondage you create from your choices.

E=Energy

Developing your awareness and making intentional choices creates new Energy (E), power, and freedom in your life.  When you begin listening to your life, you become more aware of what you are eating. Also aware of who you are living with, and the why and where you go to work each day. You will begin to notice an energy and power swelling within you as you become more aware.  If you choose to stay in a challenging job or relationship, you can choose to change your attitude. You will make new and different choices, because you now know that life is your choice. You are the hero of your life, not the victim.  This thoughts will radiate confidence and a new sense of your own power. As you follow this energy, you will be lead down the path to Live An Intentional Life®. Your energy fuels your passion and as a result you experience the joy of living an intentional life.

As you Live an Intentional Life®

You begin to grow downward and inward, like a powerful oak tree, rooting yourself deeply into a healthy, happy, sustainable, intentional life. You will begin to experience a deeper awareness and understanding of the simple, the mundane and the ordinary moments in life, which brings real happiness, inner balance and fulfillment. Living an Intentional Life® redefines success by creating depth, meaning, and purpose in your life. Happy 2018!