Intentional Living

A to Z Challenge | Intentional Living | A is For Attitude

/ Luanne Shernisky / 1 Comment

AIn an effort to get back into writing on a regular schedule, I joined the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. This is the first time I’ve participated and hope to succeed with posting each day, as my blog has grown dormant. 

My theme is “A Vocabulary for Intentional Living.” This corresponds with the objective of my blog, which sees life as a voyage shaped by circumstances both within and outside of our control. Realizing our purpose and goals begins with self-awareness and mindfulness in all our daily choices.

Life isn’t linear; it’s filled with ups and downs. During rough times it’s easy to become cynical. Negativity is fast-acting and doesn’t require any mental discipline. Choosing a positive outlook in the face of adversity is hard work. For most people it doesn’t come naturally. It requires deliberate practice and patience.

Understanding what motivates our attitudes involves keen self-awareness. In my view, this is the foundation for living intentionally. Fully understanding oneself: the good, the bad, and the ugly, is the first step to a more meaningful life.

The only disability in life is a bad attitude. ~Scott Hamilton

It’s easy to recognize people with bad attitudes. They display them in a variety of ways: sarcasm, victimization, and anger, to name a few. Feeling cheated and short-changed, they’re quick to share their disdain for the many perceived offenses put upon them by society, the government, and even God.

And then there are people with amazing attitudes! In the face of serious problems they’re able to maintain an appreciation for the life that just handed them lemons. They don’t spend time feeling sorry for themselves, rather they approach the situation from a position of strength. Utilizing the resources available they set about to solve the problems, not bemoan them. 

Our attitudes are formed at an early age through nature and nurture. Our families of origin have the important task of teaching the first fundamentals of what will become our world view. Extended family, friends, and teachers then form the “village” that raises us and shapes our attitudes toward everything in life. This is clearly and succinctly illustrated in the poem by Dorothy Law Nolte entitled  Children Learn What They Live. 

Living with intention is deciding each day to be conscious of who we are, what our value system is, and our path in life. It’s planning well-thought out goals and the ways to achieve them. This demands time and attention, something in short supply in our busy, hectic lives.

How we think about and handle the triumphs and tragedies of life depend on our attitudes. Consider how people’s attitudes play a part in what occurs in society today.

Remember things like common courtesy and the greater good? The focus now is on “me” instead of “we” and we’re losing our humanity in the process.

When we change a narrow attitude to one of open mindedness the potential for learning and growth increases dramatically.

Winston Churchill once said, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” I think attitude is a BIG thing that makes a HUGE difference.

What do you think?

 

Kindness Challenge 2017|Raise The Tide

/ Luanne Shernisky / 7 Comments

KindChallenge 2017Last year I participated in Niki Meadow’s Kindness Challenge offered on her website The Richness of a Simple Life. It was an easy to manage once-a-week post in response to a weekly prompt from Niki. 

I gained valuable insight into how acts of kindness initiate subtle changes in those people at the giving AND receiving ends.

Like any project we undertake, it requires a commitment of time and creative energy. Whether it’s a home improvement task or starting a new exercise regimen, it means sacrificing time away from something else in order to achieve the desired outcome. 

Now that I’ve grown older I value my time more than ever and avoid doing things that don’t enrich my life both spiritually and intellectually. I’ve come to realize that we often do things out of habit or allow other people to dictate how we spend our time. 

In an effort to be more mindful, I pay attention to what my needs and wants are. I’ve learned that they’re not static; that they change from moment to moment and it’s important to consider this when making choices. 

I also learned that nurturing the self is equally as important as nurturing those we love. Kindness, like charity, begins at home and returns greater benefits for everyone.

I found the Kindness Challenge to be both spiritually and intellectually inspiring. It made me think about:

  • the many ways to define kindness
  • the many ways to show kindness
  • how an act of kindness makes me feel
  • how an act of kindness can change a given situation

However, like everything else in life, if we don’t use it we lose it! Our “kindness muscle” needs regular exercise to stay strong and perform reliably. 

The challenge of being mindful and living intentionally is the conscious aspect or always being aware. This can be tough in the fast-paced world we live in today.

With so many distractions it’s easy to lose sight of our priorities. Or we shuffle them around to accommodate too many insignificant activities that don’t truly enhance our lives.

Our external selves rush through the day trying to get everything done, often at the expense of our internal wellness. Meditation and yoga help us slow down and hone our willpower skills, including:

  • Attention
  • Stress management
  • Impulse control
  • Self-awareness

Kindness_Contagious
The Kindness Challenge is another way to live intentionally. By contemplating and writing about ourselves and how we view/express kindness, we learn and grow.

Through acts of conscious benevolence, we can effect positive changes in our relationships with others. 

 

If you’d like to Raise the Tide then sign up for the Kindness Challenge today. The first prompt comes out May 7th!