Recently my freelance work brought me to someone I felt an immediate artistic connection with. During our talk, I began to realize something. I truly am an old soul.
Even though people have told me this throughout my life, it never really clicked until I had this conversation a few days ago.
I often say I don’t have any friends. It’s not completely true. I have friends I have known forever, they are my truest and closest friends. People I’ve known since childhood or young adulthood. The problem with these friends? They all live in Illinois, where I grew up for the most part.
My Illinois friends are great people, they’d be there for me in a second if I needed someone and are always around to talk if I need to call somebody.
However, do I have anyone in my life that lives within a reasonable distance that I can meet up for coffee and a nice chat? No.
I have absolutely no friends in Missouri. I’ve spent the last four years or so that I’ve lived here feeling sad and trying to make friends. For the most part, the people I have met are nice and make great acquaintances, but I have yet to meet someone I consider a real friend.
Part of the reason why I feel that way is because most people my age are not focused on the same things I am. We just don’t have many common interests. Most are not living a life of intention.
I realized that I am living my life with intention and that is why I do not care to be friends with most people my age. I have been blessed with a maturity beyond my years from a young age and it’s always been harder for me to find people I truly connect with.
Unlike a lot of people my age, I don’t watch Jersey Shore, Glee or any reality TV shows and I don’t listen to Katy Perry or know who dates who in Hollywood. I don’t own an iPhone and I couldn’t tell you who the current American Idol winner is.
I’m not trying to sound snotty. It’s just been my experience that most people my age are hyper-focused on pop culture, and I’m just not.
I find intention, wisdom and depth in reading things by William Blake, taking digital sabbaticals away from technology and writing 750 words a day.
So what do I mean by living a life filled with intention?
A life of intention is a life full of meaning. Not living to mindlessly watch tanned, vapid, self-proclaimed “Guidos” fist-pump their way through life. A life of intention is taking time to think about what you want out of life, rather than just going through the motions.
A life of intention is looking beyond someone’s age, social status or wardrobe when befriending a person. A life of intention is based on forming relationships with real people rather than gaining 500 friends on Facebook or 1,000 followers on Twitter.
Living a life filled with intention is a way for me to sort through all the clutter in our world, the digital, electronic and tangible clutter.
Living a life of intention is the best way I know how to be comfortable in my own skin, lose the desire to keep up with the mythical Joneses and consume less.
Living with intention is living up to my full potential, it may sound cheesy, but it’s honest.
Anyone can live a life of intention, once you stop caring what others may think of you, stop looking for happiness at the mall and cut the cable cord (TV is loaded with advertisements and keeps us wanting more useless stuff).
This is how I’m living my life and it’s amazing. You can live a life filled with intention too.
Care to join me?
Amanda Bretz 