Where Intention, Purpose, and Values Meet
This week I saw a really helpful conversation online and I wanted to dig into a little bit more. The discussion centered around the cost of a pair of new shoes and how the writer chooses to spend a larger amount on quality ethical shoes because 1) ethical labor/production, 2) last longer so few short-lived pairs in landfill, 3) minimalism means 1 good, wear ever day pair of shoes rather than multiple options.
It got me thinking about how perfect of an example this is of identifying our values and actually taking some action or making some choices in alignment with those values.
In the On Purpose Membership last month we talked about goal setting which I believe revolves around knowing what your values are so you can forecast a vision of a life that lives out those values and so that each day you can ask the question “what can I do today that inches me closer to my values, my mission or my purpose”.
This doesn’t mean that every single day we are going to take leaping bounds or show up 100% embodying the values we are growing into. But it does mean that even on a bad day we step back to asking ourselves what is the best way we can honour and respect the things that are important to us. And for the days that DO go closer to how we hope – we can choose to consciously move along our journey.
Maybe this means setting an intention to spend quality time with the kids. Or swap just one household item to a low waste alternative. Or spend just 20-30mins working on the business that is going to fund the dream we have. Or maybe it means consciously practicing gratitude. There are so many ways we can bring intention into the day and align ourselves with values, purpose or the mission.
So going back to the example at the start. This person would have known in advance that they needed new shoes. They knew that it was important to find a product that was ethical, quality, and functional. Perhaps that meant utilizing some time to research brands and products. Maybe that meant selling some abundance to fund the shoes or wait just a little longer to save up enough. Maybe it meant sorting through their wardrobe to simplify and decide exactly what was needed.
So how can we learn from this today?
- Know your values. If you don’t know what they are I suggest asking yourself who you look up to and dig into a little bit about why you look up to them? What do they stand for? This can help find some themes and highlight what is important to you.
- Take some time to think about the life the future you (and family) want to be in. What are the milestones along that journey? House? Travel? Get healthier? Adopt? Buy Land? Quit a habit? Etc etc Thinking of my ‘goals’ as milestones along the journey has been really key for me as the car/house/job etc isn’t actually the goal – it’s the lifestyle or change that is created when that goal is achieved.
- Identify what is going to challenge you on that path
- Each day as yourself what can I learn? What can I change? What can I do to act upon my values? Your answer might be declutter, self care, learn a DIY/skill, bring in extra $$ or any other number of ways to purposefully get a little closer to where you want to be.
So next time you need to buy some new shoes (swap this with any other choice) don’t forget to ask yourself how you can make that choice from alignment.
For more on intention, purpose, sustainability and of course – minimalism. I’d love to welcome you to come on over to our membership community! Every month we tackle a different skill, habit, or obstacle so that we can live life with more purpose and intention in each day. Every month is value packed and of course – questions are always welcome! I’d love to see you there! On Purpose Membership here
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