You might have heard the word uplevel floating around on the internet, and I think it’s a good way to describe moving up to a higher place from where you once were (maybe it’s supposed to be level up, but I’m sticking with the term uplevel).
I want to be more in tune with myself, be more efficient, and be less concerned with what people think of me.
If you’ve been feeling stuck or like you’re not where you want to be in life, maybe it’s time for certain behaviors, habits, or mindsets to shift. In this post, I’m sharing 7 ways you can be more intentional this year to uplevel your lifestyle.
What does uplevel your life mean?
To uplevel your life means:
- Being better than you were in the past
- Letting go of the things that tend to hold you back
- Letting go of self-sabotaging behavior
- Not living on autopilot
- Making choices and decisions that align with the bigger vision you have for your life
This might sound a little woo-woo, but I’m sure you have that voice in your head that tells you that you could be doing something more or something greater with your life.
In a way, upleveling or *leveling up* is similar to playing a video game. You improve your skills with each level you play, and you move up to the next level once you’ve conquered a certain stage.
“You only have control over three things in your life – the thoughts you think, the images you visualize, and the actions you take.”
― Jack Canfield, The Success Principles
Why uplevel your life?
I’m sure you’ve said to yourself on occasion (or maybe all the time) that you need to make changes in your life. Maybe you see other people living a certain lifestyle and wish you could have the same thing. You might feel stuck where you are with no sense of fulfillment in your life.
When it comes down to it, we all want to feel fulfilled in our work, our personal lives, and our relationships. If we start to act with more intention, we create the foundation needed to make changes in our lives instead of just wishing for them.
You can design your life in any way that you want to. You just have to be clear and committed to your idea. There’s no point in making a plan you’re not going to stick to.
How To Uplevel Your Life
There are countless ways you can be more intentional and change your life in a positive way. Here are some of the things to consider focusing on:
1. Mindset
- Improve the way you talk to yourself
- Expand what you believe is possible for yourself
- Focus on the current moment more than the past or the future
2. Values
- Identify your top five values and what they mean to you
- Commit to activities, experiences, and people that uphold your values
- Keep your values written in a visible place so you are reminded of them often
3. Vision
- Write down your vision for the future and what you would like to achieve
- Set goals for yourself that align with your vision
- Revisit your vision often so you are reminded of your intentions
4. Habits
- Commit to habits that align with your values and vision
- Develop a morning routine that nourishes your mind, body, and soul
- Set daily intentions that encourage you to keep showing up in your life
5. Plans
- Plan action steps that align with your goals
- Map out your daily and weekly workflows
- Focus on sticking to the plans you set for yourself
6. Actions & Decisions
- Make choices that align with your values and priorities
- Listen to your inner guide when making decisions
- Get out of your own head and take imperfect action
7. Discipline
- Hold yourself accountable to your intentions
- Stop wasting time with distractions and procrastination
- Set clear boundaries with your time and energy
Action Step:
Review the list above and make note of the things you want to work on. Revisit your notes often as a reminder to be more intentional with what you do on a daily basis.
How will you uplevel your life?
I hope this post has given you some inspiration to live your life more intentionally this year. Remember that you get to design your life in any way that you want to – you just have to be committed to your vision.
23 Responses
I really enjoyed this post! As I was reading over the list I was smiling because this was exactly what I needed to read at the exact moment. I have had a novel idea playing around in my head for a while and I have yet to put pen to paper on it. Procrastination is BIG with me, because lets be honest 2018 was not a friendly year to me and the fear of failure hit hard. This has been a huge direction pointer and the push I needed to know that what I need to do is begin! Thanks for your fantastic work!!
I think 2018 was a weird year for a lot of us! I’m so glad this post has given you some direction, Juanita xo
This was very helpful and encouraging! Thank you so much for sharing. Good morning, Queens.
I love how actionable this is! Thank you Catherine!
Glad this resonated with you, Melina!
Thanks. This was a kick in the pants I needed. Some life changes happened for me last year and I am feeling like I am on a long road without a map. This will provide me with the map.
I’m glad this post gave you some guidance, Dianne!
This has made me so motivated to start setting my goals for the year and start working towards them!
Chloe X http://chloelxuise.com
Yay!! So glad to hear that, Chloe.
Very insightful post! Really needed to read this right now. I’m definitely feeling like I’m nowhere close to where I want to be in life, so this was inspiring to see. Thank you Catherine!
I’m so glad to hear that, Sarah! More posts coming on how to get closer to where you want to be :)
Again a very inspiring topic. Thanks for sharing your intentions for 2019 with us !
Thank you, Michele! Happy 2019!
simple to say your awesome I mean speech less ! Thank you!!
<3 <3 <3
Hi Catherine,
I love this post! I think we often head into a new year with some goals and loose hopes that it will be better, but don’t actually take proper control of the situation. Letting go of things and recognising self-sabotaging behaviour are so important if you want to improve. It’s something I’m working on too. Happy New Year!
Yes, exactly! Thanks for reading, Grace xo
Thank you so much for this post. You have a way of simplifying the steps that helps me not feel overwhelmed to think about taking action. I love the reading out loud option. I have ADHD and its hard for me to read blogs but I’m a visual learner so I like to follow along with the text. I’m just now starting to watch your youtube videos from the beginning and I already feel like we would be friends look forward to learning more from you and if all goes well have you coach me. Thank you, God Bless. Nina
I’m so glad you like the reading out loud option, Nina! Another blog reader asked if I could add that since she had trouble with her vision. And I’m sure we would be friends too! P.S. Your wedding photography is beautiful xo
I felt a ureka moment when this post said to “stop living on auto pilot”. I feel a lot of guilt for not giving myself any free time because there is always an assignment to be completed as a college student. I even feel ashamed when I try to do something relaxing like watching a movie. I am really going to take that into account and be more aware of how I’m living day by day.
I know exactly what you mean! When I was in university, I thought that I always had to be/look busy and that often took the shape of thinking about the assignments I had to complete and the midterms I had to write, instead of actually doing them. Even now, as a graduate, I’m still unlearning that so don’t be hard on yourself and practice patience :)
Awesome I really love the way you present things, It makes it so easy to understand, just love it!
Thank you, Ganraj!