I was driving the other day and came upon an interesting conversation on the radio. The person was talking about a concept called intentionality.
Basically, the idea is that we needed to be more intentional in our actions, and I was thinking that it was a great thing to reflect upon as we prepare our hearts and minds for Christmas.
Here’s a couple of examples right of the top of my head. You go to mall looking for a gift for someone special. You know you have limited resources, but you have that trusty credit card…
And you walk around for a long time and you don’t find anything. Frustrated, you come upon something you think they may like, but it’s a lot more than you wanted to spend. You remember you have that credit card, and what the heck… Wouldn’t it have been better going into it knowing a set limit for what you could spend? If you couldn’t find anything, maybe a gift card would have better than overspending. Either way, be intentional this year when you’re out shopping.
Another example would be holiday eating. I’m told that it’s hard to find a parking place at the gym in January. Everyone’s trying to lose some of the weight they gained during the holidays. If you’re going into this season thinking that you’re going to gain a lot of weight, you’re going about it the wrong way, especially if you have health issues.
I’ve read quite a few articles that suggest that you should never go to a holiday party hungry. It’s better to eat something healthy before you go, and that way, if you will be less likely to eat the things you know are not the best for you. If you can, you can help yourself and others by bringing a healthy dish. This will also give you at least one thing you know you can happily eat.
We can be intentional about many things, and these are just two examples. I really like the concept and plan to write more about it in the future. In the meantime, please think about this simple idea as you move through this special season. Let me know if it helps:)
