Intention turns a routine into a ritual. It infuses meaning into otherwise mindless habits. It’s about slowing down and showing up for whatever is showing up for you and living a life that matches what your heart is telling you it wants and needs. Take a few minutes to read these quotes about intentional living and reconnect with what matters — to you. Life is richer when it’s fully felt.

“No, we don’t need more sleep. It’s our souls that are tired, not our bodies. We need nature. We need magic. We need adventure. We need freedom. We need truth. We need stillness. We don’t need more sleep, we need to wake up and live.” — Brooke Hampton

Sometimes we do need sleep. Our bodies need the deep rest that empowers us to live intentionally — aware, awake — in the first place.

What about when it’s our souls that are tired, though? What about when we’re healing?

Waking up and living — really living — is what being intentional means. It’s more than a cute word; it’s the concept of being more fully involved in your decisions, your experiences, and your life as a whole. It usually entails feeling more whole because you’re mindful of how and why you’re thinking, speaking, and doing whatever you think, say, and do.

To live with intention is to live on purpose, to show up fully wherever you find yourself, to pay attention to what’s going on around you and within you, and to take responsibility for the energy you bring into the world. It is to connect with yourself, your values, and your desires, and to live from that deeply felt connection.

For me, intentional living means to be a little more fiercely my own, and that may not look any different on the outside — others may not notice, but I know the difference of belonging to myself.

To find peace in the journey, it helps to infuse purpose into the journey.

I don’t think you need to completely accept yourself or know what your purpose in life is in order to live with more intent. The intent to live with greater awareness and meaning is what helps you to better know your purpose and more fully accept yourself.

You know what I’ve learned, by the way? Life is the point. Life is the purpose underlying every purpose under the sun. I believe we’re here to experience for the sake of experiencing, to express because we are expressions of life itself. Life: Purpose #1.

Here’s a little collection of quotes about intentional living that really resonate with me — they’re about all the ways intention can play a part in our daily lives. I hope they help you make that deeper, meaningful connection with yourself, your purpose, others, the earth, your breath, and life today.

Remember: the everyday, ordinary moments and days form the heart of life. They matter, especially when you treat them like they do.

15 Quotes about Intentional Living

1. “I’d like to be the sort of person who can enjoy things at the time, instead of having to go back in my head and enjoy them.” — David Foster Wallace

2. “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing. A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days.” — Annie Dillard

3. “Intentional living is the art of making our own choices before others’ choices make us.” — Richie Norton

4. “It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.” — Roy Disney

5. “Do everything with so much love in your heart that you would never want to do it any other way.” — Yogi Desai

6. “Life itself is a privilege, but to live life to the fullest — well, that is a choice.” — Andy Andrews

7. “What if a rich and satisfying life doesn’t involve accumulation?” — Rachelle Crawford

8. “Where there is too much, something is missing.” — Leo Rosten

9. “Wherever you are, be all there.” — Jim Elliot

10. “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” — Maya Angelou

11. “Intentional living is not about continual improvement, but continual exploration.” — Jennifer Williamson

12. “I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness — it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.” — Brené Brown

13. “It’s never too late to begin living more courageously.” - Brendon Burchard

14. “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” — Oscar Wilde

15. “You can’t do anything about the length of your life, but you can do something about its width and depth.” — Evan Esar

Tell me:

Which of these quotes is your favorite?

Tell me in the comments. I read every single one, and I'd love to know!

I love how life opens up when I do.

With love,

Jen

P.S. Wake up with joy and purpose beating in your heart. Get my book Morning Affirmations: 200 Phrases for an Intentional and Openhearted Start to Your Day. You'll love it.