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How Your Core Values Look In Real Life

How intentional living holds hands with core values…

Join me this week on the “Your Intentional Life” video series as we dig even deeper into core values and how they show up in real life situations.  Last week we began to uncover the concept and importance of core values, but this week, we go deep.  I even created a guide/workbook for you!

We will cover:

  • Definition of core values.
  • Why understanding and being able to articulate your core values is so important.
  • How your core values affect all areas of your life, including your personal-life, work-life, family-life, and love-life.
  • And to package it all up with a bow, I created a great guide/workbook for you to download to walk you through the process of really understanding what your core values are and how they inform your life.  This is where the rubber hits the road, friends!  Download this free guide,  complete the simple exercises to help you clarify and declare your values and see how they show up in your day-to-day life.  Do this…you will thank yourself.  : )

Enter your name and email below to receive your free core values guide!




I hope the guide/worksheets help you, like they did for me.  I would love to hear from you.  Did you have an a-ha moment?  Did you discover something about yourself that surprised you?  Maybe you’re finding it hard to narrow it down.  No question or comment is silly…your questions and comments are what help me to understand what sort of information I can provide in the future.

Much love, friends!

Jill xx

P.S. If you have friends, family or co-workers who would benefit from digging deeper into understanding their core values and how they could live more intentionally with this knowledge, share this post.  Sharing is caring. : )

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Core Values: How to Understand and Live Them Out

Understanding and Living Out Your Core Values

Our first week of the “Your Intentional Life” video series is on the books and we talked all about core values and how foundational they are to intentionally living!  If you didn’t catch it on Facebook LIVE earlier this week, I’ve got the video here for you now.

This week we talked about:

  • What Intentional Living and Core Values have to do with one another.
  • The importance of understanding, articulating, and living out our core values.
  • The three categories of people that may find themselves living outside their values–I wonder if you see yourself in one?
  • A simple exercise to figure out what your core values are.

Join me on the video now…

I hope you’ll take a few minutes today to work on your list and define your top 3-5 core values.

Remember to think about these two areas when you’re putting your list together:

  • What words describe what is most important to you?
  • What characteristics define who you want to be?

I mentioned brain-dumping as a resource for you to figure out your core values…here’s the link for that post.

What are your core values?  Do you struggle with living out those values?  If so, how?  Comment or email me…I’d love to hear from you!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, friends!

Much love,

Jill xx

I hope to see you this coming Wednesday morning as the “Your Intentional Life” video series continues.  Click here to “like” my blog’s Facebook page, so you’ll be notified when I go LIVE each week.

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Intentional Living Series on Facebook LIVE Begins Soon!

Inspiration for intentional living…

I’m just back from a week at the beach and it proved to be the perfect time to think about all the topics I will be discussing in my Intentional Living Facebook LIVE series that starts this coming Wednesday morning.

I don’t know about you, but when I’m on vacation, it’s hard to stick to a normal routine.  I enjoy being more flexible with my schedule, but there’s at least one routine I maintain: “intentional walks” (and since I’m on vacay, the walks are long).  These walks do not include thinking of all the things I need to get done that day, or achieving a certain number of miles.  These walks are a semi-unlimited pocket of time in which I don’t have to get back to anything. It’s a time dedicated to quiet, dreaming, wonder, and gratitude.


Photo: My faithful walking companion.

Four years ago to the week, I was walking on the same beach and I felt a very strong call to begin writing a blog.  I wrote one post that week, but never shared it.  Fear, and that crazy imposter syndrome, I mentioned a few weeks back, crept in and took over.

It took me another 15 months to get the guts up to start the blog you read today, and I can tell you that learning about, and practicing intentional living has been key through it all.

But behind the blog is a life changed due to the small, daily steps of attempting to live as intentionally as I can.  The blog is my way of sharing with others: tools, techniques, and inspiration, so that someone — like you — may read or hear something that guides them toward living their life with more intention, meaning, and joy.

I hope you’ll join me over the next few months for the Your Intentional Life series.  Click here to “like” my blog’s Facebook page, so you’ll be notified when I go LIVE each week.

The series will run from July – September, 2017 and I’ll be covering things like:

  • Defining core values
  • Clarifying life-direction
  • Creating confidence
  • Finding peace through mindfulness
  • Creating systems to limit overwhelm
  • And lots more….

For those of you who aren’t on East Coast time, don’t worry, the replay will be available when you rise and shine.

Can’t wait to see y’all on Wednesday!

Jill xx

 

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5 Steps to Getting The Most Out of Your Word for The Year

We’re a couple months into the new year now and many of us have chosen a single WORD as a declaration for a specific intention and purpose in our lives.  I’ve heard from some of you and your words are: listen, positive, faith, less, love, unite, focus, create, slow.  My word is clarity.  (NOTE: My original word I chose on January 1 was “focus” but three weeks in, I changed it to “clarity”.  I explain the stress my first word was causing me here.

While we may have chosen a word, as the days and weeks forge on, we forget about the word, and all the intention and purpose behind it.

If you do it right, choosing and purposefully living out your word for the year will be life-changing.  Seriously.  Life-changing.

Today, I’m sharing 5 simple steps to help make that happen for you…

Recap from our video:

5 Steps to Success From Your Word for the Year

  • Place your word in prominent places where you will see it often.
    — Type out your word in a huge font, print out and hang in your office, your bathroom, on your fridge, in your day-planner, in your car, etc.
    — Write your word on a sticky note and post around.
    — Make yourself a bookmark with your word on it.
    — If you’re feeling really crafty, paint your word (free-hand or with stencils) on a canvas or on a piece of wood and display in your home.
    — Create a tile mosaic for your garden.  (Wouldn’t it be neat to make a small mosaic each year with your word as a stepping stones in your garden?!)
  • Get intimate with your word by doing a simple word-study.  Google “definition of (your word)”.  Read the definitions and write out the meaning in your own words.  Look at the synonyms.  Look at the antonyms.  Look at the word origin.  This may sound like a lot of work, but it will take you less than 2 minutes if you Google it.  My word for the year is Clarity.  Here is what came up with my Google search:
  • Talk about your word.  Tell your friends, co-workers, and family what your word is.  This gives you a bit of accountability, but also helps others understand your intention for the year, so they can support you in it.
  • Ask others about their words.  This takes the accountability to a new level.  When everyone around you has their own word, it often becomes a point of discussion.  (Share this post with your friends, family, and co-workers, so they can get on the bandwagon, too!)
  • Journal about your word.  (You didn’t think we’d get through this post without me suggesting journaling, did you?) As you’re journaling, check in with yourself as to how your word is showing up or not showing up in your daily life.

I’d love to hear from you!  Leave your answer to these two questions in the comment section below:

  1. What is your word for the year?  Was that your original word, or did you end up changing it, like I did?
  2. How will you display your word to keep it top of mind? Are you a post-it note type, or will you be painting your word on canvas for display?

Here’s to living a life with intention and purpose!

Jill xx

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Your Daily Dose of Intentional Living – Week 3 Wrap Up

Want to live a more fulfilling and intentional life?  Sometimes we just need some reminders, fresh inspiration, and someone who’s been there and desires the same thing.

This is my 3rd week of broadcasting Your Daily Dose of Intentional Living LIVE this month and I’ve compiled all the videos right here in one place for you.  My goal is to provide helpful and inspirational content and provide simple steps to be more intentional with our time and efforts.

MONDAY MOTIVATION video:
Ever feel like you’re completed overwhelmed, OVER IT, or just ready to have a little less stress in your life?  I share two simple exercises that will help you to create a clean slate every day.  I’d love to hear how these work for you!

TUESDAY TIP video:

In this episode, I discuss ways to overcome holiday stress and drama that inevitably happens each year, and also share some good tips to overcome the winter blues.

Mentioned in this video:
Click here to find the fun and free printable conversation starters.  I’d love to hear back from you how smooth and fun your holiday table conversations go after using these!

WEDNESDAY’S WORD video:

Wednesday word was DISCIPLINE.  If you’re lacking discipline in an area of your life that you really want to change, this is the video for you!  I share five steps that will help you achieve the discipline you need to make the progress you want.

THROWBACK THURSDAY video:

Today were throwing back to the creator of the model T — Henry Ford. Let’s see what Henry can teach us about creating a growth mindset.

Mentioned in this video:
Mindset by Carol Dweck

FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY video:

Learn a super effective way to be a better friend.

Mentioned in this video:
The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
My article from a few years ago on The 5 Love Languages.

Friends, if you know of someone who might find value in what I’ve shared in these videos, don’t be shy–share away!

Did you miss the wrap-up video posts from previous weeks?
Click here to watch week 1 videos.
Click here to watch week 2 videos.

Here’s to being kind human beings.

Much love,

Jill xx

Disclosure: Some of the links (for the books on Amazon) in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

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Facebook LIVE Week 2 Wrap-Up

Here’s a wrap-up from this week’s Facebook LIVE series: Your Daily Dose of Intentional Living.  If you weren’t able to catch my broadcasts live or later, here they are!

Click here to download your Intention Journal worksheet.  Use this journal to make notes and reminders of helpful ways to pracitce intention in your life.

Monday Motivation

See how taking advice from your “objective self” can be some of the best advice you receive.  Watch and let me know if you’ve ever used this technique.

Tuesday Tip

For this week’s tip, I share a time management tip that, should you implement, will most likely save you at least an hour or even two per day.  No kidding!

Wednesday Word

Today’s word is Community.  Now, more than ever, our communities, our nation need more involvement than before.  I’ve posed three questions for us all to consider in an effort to transform division into action in our communities.  Watch and let me know your thoughts.

Throwback Thursday

We’re stepping up to bat for some wisdom from the one and only, Yogi Berra.  One of Yogi’s famous quotes has taught me a thing or two about the importance of observing and watching.  Watch this video and see if the Yogi-ism mentioned resonates with you, too.

Friendship Friday

Talking about a way to categorize relationships in order to keep a good life-balance, maintain healthy relationships, and rid yourself of the toxic people in your life.  Warning: Don’t confuse this exercise with elf on the shelf!

Friends, if you know of someone who might find value in what I’ve shared in these videos, don’t be shy–share away!

Did you miss the wrap-up from last week?  Click here to watch those videos.

Here’s to being kind human beings.

Much love,

Jill xx

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Facebook LIVE Week 1 Wrap-Up

Your Daily Dose of Intentional Living series went LIVE on Facebook this week.  Each morning at 7 a.m. E.T. (don’t worry, you can watch later, too), I go LIVE and spend 5-10 minutes sharing something that you can implement immediately or at least ponder and use in your efforts to living an intentional life.

Click here to download your free Intention Journal page and follow along each day recording your own thoughts and intentions throughout the week.

Day 1 – Tuesday TIP

I share Stephen Covey’s Time Management Matrix.  It’s all about choosing the Important over the Urgent, my friends!
Side note– While I love Stephen Covey’s Matrix, this was my first LIVE video, I was nervous as heck, and the example of the matrix I was sharing was apparently backwards on the screen–so you might want to skip down to Wednesday’s WORD–this resonated with a lot of people, and I hope it will with you, too.

Click here to learn more about Stephen Covey’s Time Management Matrix.

Books mentioned on Tuesday TIP video:
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
First Things First by Stephen Covey

Day 2 – Wednesday’s Word

Our word this week was “Acceptance”.  Whether it be accepting where you are in your life right now, the betrayal of a friend, or the death of a loved one, we all know how tough this step can be.  But, friends, it’s a critical one.  Please watch this video and see where you might need to allow acceptance into your life in order to heal your soul.

Day 3 – Throwback Thursday

Today we learn some great wisdom on intentional living from Helen Keller and Alexander Graham Bell.  Wait until you hear about the connection between these two!

Books mentioned on Tuesday TIP video:

The Story of My Life by Helen Keller

Day 4 – Friendship Friday

Who are the five people you spend the most time with?  Do you they lift you up or bring you down?  Today, I’m sharing some wisdom from Jim Rohn ont the importance of surrounding ourselves with people we respect, are encouraged by, help us to make good decisions, and be the best version of ourselves.

Join me over on Facebook for the LIVE for the “Your Daily Dose of Intentional Living” series that I’ll be filming through the entire month of November.

Click here to watch Week 2 videos.

Here’s to loving your intentional life!

Jill xx

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Your Daily Dose of Intentional Living

Hi, friend.  I’m so glad you’re here!

Watch my video message as I share a bit on my recent blog break and some fun news for the month of November!

Click here to head over to my Facebook business page.

Facebook LIVE “Your Daily Dose of Intentional Living” starts on Tuesday November 1, 2016.
Monday – Friday at 7 a.m. ET.

I’ll still be posting here on Saturdays with the week’s wrap-up, but be sure to watch the videos each day to make the most of your efforts in living an intentional life.  (NOTE: Not available at 7 a.m. ET?  You can watch the video at any time after the LIVE broadcast, too.)

Click here to download your free Intention Journal page and follow along each day recording your own thoughts and intentions for the day.

See you on Tuesday!

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Blog Hiatus Announcement

Hi, sweet friends.  I have something to tell you today and I’m guessing some of you will be able to relate.  I’ll explain in the video why I opted for a video message today instead of my typical written format.

Here’s to taking time to:

Unplug.
Rest and recharge.
Reflect.
Be still.
Listen.
Write privately.
Make room for new things.

Y’all are the best!  Thank you for listening and understanding.

Jill xx

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The Power of Love – 5 Ways to Spread Love Today

Have you ever seen something horrible take place and you feel like you–just one little person–have no way of making a difference that will matter? 

This feeling of powerlessness comes from a belief that you have no control over your environment.  Your environment including your own personal space, the space around your closest relationships, your neighborhood, your local, regional and state-wide community, your country, and the world as a whole.

The truth is we do have the power to take action and make a difference and it’s as simple as loving one another.

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” —  Leo Buscaglia

Did you catch that last part?  The potential to turn a life around.  Through simple acts of love.

There’s nothing in Leo’s list that you and I don’t have the power to initiate today.

Here are five ideas to take action and begin spreading love today:

#RANDOMLOVELETTER: I recently came across an Instagram challenge called #randomloveletter.  The creators of this challenge asked participants to write a positive note and post it in a public place (power pole, library book, restaurant menu, park bench, waiting room) for someone to find.  No fancy stationary necessary.  Just write your note on a post-it, scratch pad paper, or the back of a recycled piece of paper.  Who knows how your written words will bless someone?

There’s an annual challenge that takes place in June every year in which you place your love letter somewhere, take a picture and tag it with #randomloveletter on Instagram and/or Twitter.  Click here for the 2016 challenge recap and to get some inspiration for your notes.  You may choose to participate in this challenge each year, but let’s agree to keep the love flowing throughout the year.  Is there such thing as too many random love letters?  I think not.

MORE LOVE LETTERS:  Hannah Brencher founded a movement whose mission is to “Make Love Famous”.  How awesome is that!! There are three ways to participate and help Hannah with her mission:

  1. Mail a letter to someone who is experiencing a tough spot in their lives.  The love letter recipients have been secretly nominated and will receive the surprise love letters from people like you and me from across the globe.  Their nomination stories appear right here.  Do you know someone who could use a good dose of love right now?  Click here to nominate them.
  2. Leave a letter.  Much like the #RandomLoveLetter, you write a lovely letter and leave it in a public place for someone to find.
  3. Know a college student?  Hannah has started a movement in which students can start a More Love Letters chapter on their campus.  This so would have been up my alley when I was in college!!

PAY IT FORWARD:  I’m sure you’ve heard of this idea…you respond to a person’s kindness to oneself by being kind to someone else. Maybe you buy a cup of coffee for the unsuspecting person behind you in line, or extend a wish of goodwill to a stranger you cross paths with, or call a helpful clerk’s supervisor to praise their excellent customer service.  All these gestures promote love and goodwill.

There’s an actual day to pay it forward too! Although I hope you won’t wait to pay it forward, the next official day is April 28, 2017.  While you’re paying it forward throughout the year, you could also be planning on a big push for that actual day with your friends, kids, church group, or school.  Get people excited and talking about it.  The creators of this day are hoping to inspire over 10 million acts of kindness around the world on April 28, 2017. Spread the love, friends!

The Pay It Forward Day website has some great resources and ideas on how to get involved for individuals, businesses, and schools.  Check that out here.

VIRTUALLY SHARE RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS STORIES TO INSPIRE OTHERS:  Performing a random act of kindness is just like the pay it forward idea, but because we live in a digital age and so many of us spend heaps of time online, why not focus on spreading love virtually through inspiring stories of random acts of kindness.  The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation has a great website with a collection of these types of inspiring stories, videos, and quotes that you can share with others to light up their day.  Click here to be inspired and share away!

THE POWER OF PRAYER:  Lift your hearts and your voices in prayer, my friends.  My faith calls me to pray without ceasing and I’ve seen firsthand how prayer changes things.  God is LOVE and He is listening.

Friends, I hope you’ve been inspired to take action and love boldly today.

Here’s to changing the world with one act of love at a time!

With love,

Jill

P.S. Since we’re on the subject of love…did you know there’s a whole day committed to hugging?  For real!  National Hugging Day takes place every year on January 21st. Why wait though?  Let’s get some practice and go hug on someone today.

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