Intentional living is a personal journey. A journey that sometimes means finding the courage to go against the norm. It’s about taking steps, usually small ones, to get closer to the life you envision. And since everyone’s dreams and priorities are vastly different, your journey will be different as well.
But when we peel back the layers, there are similarities.
Most of us want the same things, even though they are manifested in different ways. Joy and balance is something we all desire. But chasing your dreams, actually taking those steps to get there usually comes with sacrifice. Often times that means going against the grain of what society at large sees as “normal”.
I remember when I was on my first debt-free journey and the sacrifices I chose to make to get there. The strange looks when I told a friend that I couldn’t go out to eat because I’d exhausted my dining out budget for the month. Or that I couldn’t purchase a new shirt when I’d accompany them on shopping trips just for the outing.
They saw it as deprivation.
Some thought I was being ridiculous. But I didn’t see it that way at all. I wasn’t deprived, all of my needs were met and then some. In fact, even on that journey, I was intentional to include one international trip each year. It was a priority for me at the time to continue to travel and explore the world. So I sacrificed big in some areas so that I didn’t have to in others. And debt freedom was anything but ridiculous to me.
But I had to endure a lot of strange looks and funny comments and questions all through the process.
I’ve found that this is the case for anything you are doing that requires a bit of sacrifice, because many people see sacrifice as deprivation.
A lot of people equate sacrifice to pain and they are not always synonymous.
Even though we are giving up some things on this intentional journey, we are gaining so much more. By leaving some of the unnecessary behind and focusing on what truly matters, we are getting closer each day to the balance and joy we desire in life.
When on an intentional journey you’ll have to be courageous enough to go against the grain. You’ll have to be able to dig your heels in and commit to the journey and the sacrifice despite what the critics say, well-intentioned as they may be.
It may seem like a no-brainer but if you aren’t aware of your thoughts and how we can all be knowingly or subconsciously swayed or distracted, you can easily be taken off course or just outright give up. At times it takes finding the courage to go against what society and even those close to you consider normal. You’ve gotta be OK with being a little strange.
Have you experienced any naysayers or critics while on an intentional journey?
With Intention,
Sean and Simone
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