Intentional Living…

In December 2019 I took my annual leave, which I always take a long leave to recuperate and recharge. It was truly a different December for me, cause I had decided to ponder on what is important and focus on that. I then stumbled upon a book called “The year of yes” suggested by Mpoomy Ledwaba. It is truly an amazing book. It changed my perspective, it highlighted to me the decisions I had to make, that I will be intentional in all that I do, in all relationships I have, my health, my relationship with money, wealth and financial health, spiritual wellbeing, career direction and development, caltivating my talents and gifts, acquiring new skills and mending every broken piece in me. 2019 had been the most challenging year of my entire life, I had encounted so much and in pursuit of renewed hope, this book fell on my lap at the right time. In reading just two chapters, I decided that 2020 will be my year of YES. This meant that I prepare and plan for it intentionally, not like all the other years that have past, yet it meant for me that I would write my goals in full and have actions per goal to ensure that I get the results from my goals. I also created a vision board and I made it to sync with my goals, In one of my favorite scriptures which states:

Habakkuk 2:2 the Bible in message translation reads ” And then God answered: while this, Write what you see, Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. The vision – message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. it aches for the coming – it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. Its on its way. It will come right on time.”

I had to honestly and intentionally review my life. I did a SWOT Analysis of my self and life. I hungered for a change and a new direction. I pondered on all my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Without being defensive, I pointed out what has to change, what has to be improved, cut-off and what has to be celebrated. I was determined, a woman on a mission. I wrote 6 pages full of my goals for this year, not resolutions but goals, and each goal as I said has plan items to ensure I reach them. It was my vision, I wrote it down. Some items might take time but I am working on them and they will surely come/ happen at the right time, it is a faith thing too. I look at my vision board daily and i marvel that we are three months within 2020 and I have already marked a number of the items out as achieved. I am intentionally going for my goals and making sure that I achieve them. In intentionally living “wishing” is not practical and will get you nowhere, however planning, implementation and focus will bear fruit.

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I remember back in 2017/18 I used to have plenty of chats with my colleague Hlobile Gumede, we would seat and talk about the things we want to do and mostly I would tell her of a lot of things that were in my heart and one thing she used to emphasize mostly was “Implement girl!” and I laugh at time when I reminisce on our chats and say she was right. Thinking about it now, I was dreaming only back then, I was just hoping but not doing anything about it. The flight of my dreams never took off, it remained stationary up until the moment I decided that I need to be intentional. Two weeks ago, we had another chat with Hlobile and she reminded me of an event I wanted to do for the longest of times and she said “Girl, I think you can do it this year…” and immediately I said yes, definitely I will. I am intentional about it, I want, I am hungry for it and the passion for it is my driving force. I have decided that I am saying “Yes to it”, I will pursue it with all I have in me. This goes for all I want to do and achieve.

“If you’re going to grow, you have to be intentional.” Curt Kampmeier

I now look at life with new eyes. I take my actions, decisions, each day seriously. The focus has become a way of life, like the air I breathe. I live for me, I look at being and doing what will contribute to the greatest of my purpose, to bring change, transform, motivate, empower others and celebrate life. My desire is that you look into your life, evaluate it, intentionally review every aspect that sums to your whole being, your relationships/friendships/ business/career/finance/health/family/spirituality and see what is bearing fruit and what has not. We are required to prone certain parts of our lives that are dormant and not add value in our lives, what is distructing us, slowing us down, like the fig tree that Jesus cursed cause it bore no fruits. The process of refinement has began, it will hurt abit but it is all worth it. It is not a bad thing but good for you, for where you are and where you are going. To live an authentic and intentional life, people-pleasing will have to be a thing of the past, rather I encourage you to pursue purpose and life of impact. Living a mediocre life rorbes us time and fulfillment. It is a delay to live out of just living and not pushing to live a full life of purpose.

“The power of intention is the power to manifest, to create, to live a life of unlimited abundance, and to attract into your life the right people at the right moments.” Wayne Dyer

I am currently doing a course called Deborah Arise Leadership programme, facilitated by Dr. Belinda Spannenburg. It aimed at women who are passionate about their Christian walk of faith and cultivating their purpose and call upon their lives. So far I have learned a lot indeed I can attest to the quote by Wayne Dyer we attract the right people at the right moments in our life when we are intentional, and I have and Dr. Belinda Spannenburg is one of them. This was an intentional decision I had to make, to take my Spiritual wellbeing seriously. Apart from that, I am also doing training with My wealth company, where I am healing my relationship with money. The Bible states if you are faithful with the little so you will be with much more.

Our lives are like books, filled with pages and pages, characterized in chapters which encompass our encounters and experiences, shaped by our choices, decisions, and plans. They depict our acceptance, our responses, and reactions. Fueled by our passion, desire, and dreams. To what is worth may your book of life be inspiring to others, be a story of hope, that all you went through may help someone to face their own life and choose to live better no matter what has happened to them. May your book be the one, no one would want to put down and wish the story was never-ending, but above it all, may you live an intentional life.

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Signed by Lerato M