What is Intentional Living -The Beginner’s Guide to Slow Living

Part Two: What Is Intentional Living?

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Introduction: Living On Purpose, Not on Autopilot

If slow living invites us to pause, intentional living invites us to choose. It asks us to look at how we’re spending our days—our time, energy, money, and attention—and gently ask: Does this align with the life I actually want?

Because so often, we’re not living out of alignment on purpose. We’re just doing what we’ve always done. Or what’s expected. Or what we’ve been told “good people” or “successful women” do.

But what is intentional living if not the quiet, courageous act of saying: I get to decide what matters to me—and how I want to live it out.

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What Is Intentional Living?

Intentional living is about making conscious choices in everyday life.
It means:

• Saying yes because it feels aligned—not because you feel guilty
• Creating daily rhythms that reflect your values—not your to-do list
• Choosing rest without needing to “earn” it
• Spending your money in a way that reflects your priorities, not the algorithm

What is intentional living? It’s living with intention—not perfection. It’s not about having your life sorted into neat categories or colour-coded bins. It’s about choosing what belongs in your life, and what doesn’t.

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What It Isn’t (And Why That Matters)

Intentional living is not:

• A 5 a.m. morning routine with green juice and gratitude journaling (unless that’s your thing)
• A minimalist home with nothing but a white couch and a fiddle leaf fig
• A rigid schedule where every moment is accounted for

It’s not about doing things “the right way”—it’s about doing them your way, with clarity and care. It’s not a productivity system. It’s a mindset that says, I get to build a life that works for me.

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What It Can Look Like (In Real Life)

Here’s how intentional living might look on a Tuesday:

• Saying no to a last-minute commitment because you need margin in your week
• Choosing to spend 20 minutes in the garden instead of 2 hours online
• Putting your phone in another room while you eat
• Buying one candle you love instead of a drawer full of “meh” ones
• Unsubscribing from emails you never read
• Looking around your home and asking, Does this still reflect who I am and how I live?

These choices seem small—but they add up. They help us build lives that feel rooted, not reactionary.

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How to Begin Living More Intentionally

You don’t need a system—you just need a little awareness and a lot of grace.

Try asking:

• What matters most to me right now?
• Where am I saying yes to things I no longer believe in?
• What’s one small change I could make this week that reflects who I am becoming?

And then make one choice today—just one—that feels like a step toward that answer.

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Intentional Living in Midlife

Midlife is a season of reckoning—and of refining. It’s a time when many of us begin to shed old expectations, question our inherited patterns, and look for something deeper. Something more honest.

Intentional living in midlife often means:

• Setting clearer boundaries
• Reimagining what success means to us
• Choosing slowness, solitude, or softness when the world tells us to “push through”
• Honouring the needs of your present self, not just the woman you used to be

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Permission to Make Your Own Path

Intentional living isn’t about doing life better—it’s about doing it more honestly. It’s giving yourself permission to stop following scripts that don’t feel like yours anymore.

You’re allowed to pivot. You’re allowed to protect your peace. You’re allowed to build a life that works for you.

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Coming Next: Building a Life That Feels Like Home

In Part Three, we’ll bring these threads together—slow and intentional—and explore what it actually means to live well in a world that pushes us to always want more. We’ll talk about redefining success, embracing small joys, and how a good life doesn’t need to be big, but it does need to be yours.

This post is Part Two of our three-part series: The Beginner’s Guide to Slow and Intentional Living.

If you missed the beginning, start with:

• Part One: What Is Slow Living, Really?

Or continue on to:

• Part Three: Building a Life That Feels Like Home

Chat soon,

Ciara

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Further Reading: Explore More on Slow and Intentional Living

If you’d like to keep exploring how to live well in a fast-paced world, here are a few insightful articles from other slow living writers and mindful lifestyle blogs:

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1. What Is Slow Living?
By Alison’s Notebook
A gentle, introductory take on slow living that focuses on intentionality and presence rather than aesthetics. A great starting point for anyone curious about what slow living really looks like in everyday life.

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2. 25 Simple Slow Living Tips to Embrace a Calmer Life
By Simple Natural Mom
A practical, actionable list of slow living habits that are doable for busy parents and families. From nature walks to tech boundaries, these tips are grounded in real-life routines.

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3. The Beginner’s Guide to Slow Living
By Vaughn Journals
This article offers a warm and welcoming overview of how to start slow living, including reflections on decluttering, mindfulness, and reconnecting with nature.

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4. How to Slow Life Down
By Filling the Jars
Focused on slowing down in a modern world filled with overwhelm, this post shares small daily rituals and mindset shifts that make a big difference.

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5. How to Live Simply: A Personal Journey
By Rocky Trails & Rainbows
A heartfelt reflection on living more simply and intentionally by letting go of excess, embracing slowness, and realigning life with your values.