If You Are Going To Live, Live With Intention

If you are going to feel, feel deeply.

Let yourself experience everything to your core—the good, the bad, the painful, the exhilarating. Let yourself feel it and be changed by it, shaken by it, terrified by it, and inspired by it. Let what you feel change your life. Let it make you a person who isn’t afraid to be vulnerable, isn’t afraid to love, isn’t afraid to face the world head on. Feel deeply and don’t change.

If you are going to laugh, laugh with abandon.

Throw your head back, close your eyes, and celebrate your happiness. Share this laughter with those around you and relish in the good moments. Make others smile. Tell jokes. Share silly stories. Bring the ones you love close and enjoy each other’s company. Forever find reasons to keep on laughing.

If you are going to work, work with purpose.

Go to your job every single day with a smile on your face. Open the door and think of the positive possibilities, not the negatives. Make every interaction mean something; make every communication legitimate and thought through. Make every day better than the last. And never allow yourself to feel stagnant and stuck.

If you are going to listen, listen with open ears.

Think of others and put them before yourself. Think of the ways you can make someone feel cared for or just be present in their life when they need you the most. Quiet yourself so you can be open to others’ needs. Give yourself silence to understand what you are feeling, what others are feeling, and how you can help.

If you are going to cry, cry openly.

Allow yourself to experience painful emotions. Allow yourself to hurt over the ones you love or the situations that deeply affect you. Allow yourself a minute for self-pity, for bitterness, for anger or for sadness. Cry without embarrassment. Then begin to heal.

If you are going to love, love recklessly.

Love this person because you want to love them, because he or she is who you have decided is the person you want to spend your life with. Love this person because you have, and will continue to choose them every single day. Love them fearlessly, passionately, stupidly. Because life is too short to not fully give in to love.

If you are going to live, live with intention.

Live each day with purpose. Open your eyes and choose to be productive, choose to make a difference, choose to care for the people and the world around you. Live intentionally. Say things that you mean; say things that matter. Pursue what you want relentlessly and be unafraid to chase your dreams. Give to others. Love others. Bless others. Live every single day with purpose and passion in mind.