Intention-Getting from Here to There.

“You do not rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems” James Clear

Senior Essence is intentional living through conscious choice. As I enter this new chapter, I must begin moving away from who I was and toward who I wish to be.

My former identity was wrapped up in my career and growing family. Now that my work and marriage have ended, its time to reinvent my life and the purpose that drives it.

I must move on from my previous, predictable and somewhat unconscious way of living. Senior Essence is the act of designing my future with new intention. One that requires self examination, new direction and complete engagement with the process.

I begin by questioning how I use my time and money. I’ve reinstated a monthly budget to track my money, and a day planner to track my time. By implementing these tools I immediately become aware of how I my use both.

The intentional act of recording my behaviors provides an immediate feedback loop. I instantly see my actions and begin questioning why? Why am I spending my precious resources randomly and without a plan?

Because I’m not satisfied with the results of my current lifestyle, I begin identifying the negative habits that hold me back. I then make a plan to replace them with intentional behaviors. The results are recorded as small daily changes in my calendar. New activities “stack” and accumulate to form a new set of habits, and ultimately a new system of living.

The new habits methodically lead me to the life I seek. There are no goals, no plans, no vision in this process. Only the simple act of identifying destructive habits and replacing them with new behaviors, one day at a time.

In Practice:

Download a budget template and begin tracking your expenses. Then, invest in a daily planner to record how you’re using your time. Review them regularly and ask yourself how you feel about your decisions. Are you simply spending your time and money or are you investing?