I love to read. It’s one of my favorite hobbies. I can get lost in a good novel, but most of my life I’ve been drawn to motivational books. The “how-to” books of living a better life. 

I have a passion for learning and broadening my thinking. However, my love of motivational books goes deeper than that. Secretly (since very few people know this about me), I’ve always dreamt of writing one of those action-inspiring, how-to books to help others change and improve their lives. I also aspire to be a motivational speaker. (Tony Robbins is my role model. In high school, I was buying his books and tapes and longing to be just like him.)

I’m not a best-selling author or motivational speaker (yet!), but life has been teaching me all sorts of lessons lately that one day may make an awesome book and inspiring talk from a stage. In the meantime, I continue to read others’ books and apply what I learn.

One book in particular was the inspiration for my blog yoursintentionally.com. It was John C. Maxwell’s Intentional Living – Choosing a Life that Matters. That book changed my perspective, and my life, dramatically.

It taught me the difference between good intentions (wishing, desiring, and hoping) and intentional living (having purpose, taking action, making today count).

It also included practical advice for making your life matter, such as putting others first, adding value to others, seizing opportunities, and more. All of which I try to do. 

I live it out in my marriage and relationships, in my parenting, in my faith, in my professional career and through various mindfulness activities. John Maxwell’s ideas and concepts put into action in small ways each day really do make a difference. I know because I tried it and experienced the changes in my own life.

That’s what my blog is all about — sharing with you all the intentional actions I choose regularly in order to create the life I want. Here’s hoping it inspires you to do the same!

Let me know if you’re already living this way or just starting your journey of being more intentional. What opportunities have you seized? How are you intentionally adding value to others in your life? What are you no longer wishing would happen and now deliberately making happen?

Yours intentionally, Amanda

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