There’s no better feeling than a brand new year – especially after the one we just experienced. There is so much excitement in the air about getting 2020 behind us and starting fresh. The opportunity to find new inspiration, identify new goals, adopt new habits, and set new intentions is upon us.
At Day Designer, we’re all about helping you find ways to intentionally live a happier, healthier life. That’s why we’ve dedicated the Day Designer blog to help you live a well-designed life – with a different theme each month.
New Blog Series
To kick off the new year, we’re excited to introduce our Living With Intention series – and we’re thrilled that you’re here to follow along. The idea of being intentional is sometimes hard to grasp, so let’s start with the basics!
To live with intention means to live with purpose, according to your goals and values. Simply put, living with intention is all about good decision-making and realizing that your life is made up of choices!
It means that you are deciding how you want to live your life ahead of time – and that the way you are spending your time is worthwhile to you. Instead of life happening to you, your life will happen for you. With that understanding, the bigger question is…
Living With Intention
This is what we’re going to uncover this month! Throughout our Living With Intention series, we’ll guide you through planning out your year – choosing a word that sums up what you want out of the year ahead, setting balanced goals, and, more importantly, breaking them down into manageable pieces – so that you can make progress all year long and find success in 2021.
We’re here to help you become more intentional with your time and more conscious of your habits, allowing you to focus on the things (or more specifically – the people, activities, and projects) that are most important to you. Whether it’s planning an evening to spend with your family and friends or committing to make progress on a goal, your intentions improve the quality of your life.
Three Simple Steps
When it comes to living a more intentional life, the following three-part process will provide a framework to help you get from point A to point B.
1. What do you want? Dream big and envision what you hope for in the future. Identify what you want your life to communicate and contribute. Get clear about the specific intentions that will most enhance your life.
2. What is missing? Consider what is missing that might add more joy, peace, and presence to your life.
3. What can help you get there? Determine what intentions you can set to get there! Set goals that align with what you want to happen. (This month on the blog, we’ll share our best tips, tricks, and strategies on how to do just that!)
Daily Intentions
Although we focused on the big picture in today’s post, you can apply being more intentional to any given moment!
To be more intentional about how you’re spending your time on a daily (or even hourly!) basis, ask yourself questions like “What do I want out of this hour?” or “What do I want out of this workout?” or “What do I want out of this meeting?”
Determine what you want the outcome to be ahead of time. This will help you keep the purpose of that activity or time period at the very forefront of your mind!
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Striving to live a more intentional life is one of the key reasons that Day Designer was first created. Stay tuned this month as we dive further into this favorite topic with you!
Do you want to live more intentionally in 2021? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Looking forward to getting back on track in 2021! Thanks for this series! Great stuff! Love my Day Designer, best product I’ve been using for five years, won’t live without it!
Thank you for your kind words, Lisa! We are so happy that you’ve been planning with us for five years!
Love the “what do I want from” questions! Makes being intentional so much easier. Happy new year!
We love those too, Ruby! The idea to ‘live more intentionally’ can be hard to grasp sometimes but those questions make it so simple.
I always used a daily planner till about 3 years ago, when I gave in to my daughter’s ideas that I was “too rigid”, and went to a weekly planner. I was EXTREMELY productive until 3 years ago, as well. What a mistake. My husband bought my new Day Designer for me as a Christmas gift this year. I am so excited to be productive again, and letting each day happen TO me instead of ME decided what that day would look like and why.
In the above, I MEANT to say that “I spent 3 years letting each day happen TO me . . “
Amber, We’re so happy you’re with us this year. Happy planning!
That is so true! Your daughter is very perceptive. I work undercover and how you design your day can be perceived by others.
I use the daily DD. I enjoy the digital calendar that came with my iPad because it’s easy to move things around. But people perceive me as very rigid when I use it, so I step it down to the Daily, then to offset what your daughter sees as rigid, I change something else – my handbag, use more laidback clothing, use more florals. Because I need to look like I can hang out.
I love this idea of living with intention! I have been thinking about what I want my word for 2021 to be, and this helped me in that process. Thank you!
Thrilled to hear that it was helpful to you, Kelly. Happy new year!
Just got my daily planner today I love the idea of living with intention I’m excited to start my year with this goal in mind.. I love the blog ..thank you
Hi Connie! We’re so happy you’re planning with us this year. Thank you for your kind words about our blog!
2020 was all about getting through each day, so in 2021 I’m definitely craving intentional living. I’m sick of the same ol’ routine of work, couch, and eventually falling asleep. I want more and know I can do it! Thank you for the help.
You definitely can do it, Courtney! Baby steps each and every day. Best wishes in 2021!
I like living with intention. Planning ahead what you want to happen. Not what happens to you. My 2021 word is Progress.
Yes! We completely agree. Love your word, too!
Thinking about my 2021 word and ready to live more intentionally.
Yes! Keep thinking and it will just come to you! ✨
I am ready to take control of my life VS life overwhelming me. I like living with intention idea because it will remind me of all the positive things that happen every day in my life.
Marsha, It’s so great that you are READY. This will be your year to take control of your life! ✨
All I can say is, after many planner trials, I have found the perfect planner!! Thank you, Day Designer! I love your blog, too! It aligns perfectly with the information that I need to organize and plan my life this year with intention. Exactly what I have been searching for!
We’re happy to hear this, Sandra! Finding the right planner is the best feeling. We’re thrilled that you’ll be following along with our top tips here on the blog!