Being more intentional is a goal I have this year. That could mean a lot ot things to different people but for me, being intentional means being deliberate, realistic, but still thoughtful and hopeful.
For example, when it comes to buying something. Let’s say I am watching TikTok and want to buy all these great hair products I keep seeing everyone use. A whole hair routine filled with products for each step! Now, I could just buy everything I see but to be intentional with my purchases, I’d have to really think about it.
First of all, I’m not someone who does much with their hair. I don’t even have the time to run through all these hair care steps. Second of all, even if I wanted to do my hair care more and be better with my hair, doing it slowly and adjusting my habits is a better way to do it. Spending $200 on hair care in one go wouldn’t make me change anything, unfourtunately.
So in the end, if I want to be intentional and realistic in terms of my budget, lifestyle, and character, I would buy maybe just 1 product. This is one way of being intentional with money and time.
Now this isn’t to say, we shouldn’t do things or spend money on the prospect of wanting to do something different or change. Like I mentioned earlier, If I do want to start taking care of my hair more, I can do it slowly and on my own accord. I could even do my own research and learn about my own hair and find other products or other things to do. This is the “being realistic” part of being intentional. I still want to be thoughtful and reach for the stars or whatever but it just makes sense to my own character and bank account, to do it slowly and in my own way.
This may be common sense to many people out there, but for me, it’s something I’m having to learn more of how to do every day. Especially being on social media and just living in a capitalist, consumer driven society.
Here are some ways that help me be more intentional with my time, energy, and money:
Figure out what means the most to you
When you know thyself, you just know how to make these judgment calls better. It might even be easier for you to be less influenced on social media in general. But when you understand what you like and how you are as a person, it’s easier to know what will feel right and progressive to you! In general, I think this is just an important aspect of life for making good decisions and taking on any other challenges that may come your way.
Realize Goals and Desires are Very DIfferent
Goals and desires aren’t always the same thing. I had a goal to finally grow tf up and learn how to wear makeup like a woman (haha). That was a goal. But it’s different than the desire to have absolutely every makeup product I see on TikTok, be trendy, be beautiful, and blah blah blah. That was a problem I was having earlier in the year. My goal became a “desire distraction” that was justifying my bad spending at Sephora. The goal didn’t require all the desires I began to develop. So remember, a lot of the time, what you want to accomplish is different than what you desire and want.
Remember, people are very different
What other people do or what they buy might not be the best thing for you. For me, when I’m trying to be intentional, this is something that helps me tame my urge to buy things or do the things I see on social media. It’s the realization that the makeup girls buy, the clothes girls buy, or what they do, may not work for me. Whether it won’t fit my lifestyle or whether the clothes won’t look the same on me, it’s a good thing to stop seeing yourself in people you see online. Sometimes they are like you and are relatable, but in the end, they are not. You are you! And you’re great! And you’re different!
“balanced, as all things should be”
As the great Thanos said. Balance is very important and being intentional, for me, is a balance of considering you, realistically and you, optimistically. So consider what you are and what you want. And then it’s just making a bet on yourself and seeing if you can truly follow through.
And that’s it! Being intentional is not something I came up with, by the way. Of course. Not that you were thinking that, haha! This is an idea that many people are talking about lately. Hopefully there was something here you learned.Thank you for reading!
TESIOLA 
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