Listicle: 10 YouTube Recommendations for an Intentional Life

YouTube can easily be cluttered with videos that encourage overaccumulation, mindless consumption, and prioritizing form over function. With numerous haul videos, sponsorships giving birth to human billboards (feeding skeptics like myself), and viral challenges everybody just has to give their take on, it becomes a capitalist black hole that pulls you and keeps you for hours on end.

And yet its universe remains vast with tiny, distinct pockets for all sorts of people of various interests. Depending on the channels you follow, you could use it as a tool for self-improvement and learning. So while Intentional Living is a broad subject to take on, it’s just broad enough for different YouTubers to touch on. Here’s a list of my top 10 YouTube recommendations that help me lead an intentional life:

Penelope Pop

I have followed Winnie Wong (also known as Penelope Pop) for 3 years now. Her videos usually revolve around curating your lifestyle and organizing the things you own. Her day job as a teacher reflects on how concise and understandable her videos are even for laymen who aren’t deep into minimalism, intentional living, etc.

I’m Lovin’: That she gives away PR kits and products given to her so she doesn't hoard herself. And that she’s never claimed to practice any of the disciplines and just chooses what works for her.

Check out: Her entire How To Be Basic series

How To ADHD

I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD in my 20s, which was difficult in itself because I was deemed normal, smart, and functioning well into adulthood. I was told that I had learned to cope with ADHD without even knowing I was dealing with it. I had to go about this diagnosis entirely on my own and was looking for resources to learn more about my condition when I stumbled upon Jessica’s channel. The more I watched the more her videos resonated with me. At one point, How To ADHD became a refuge for me on how to manage day-to-day tasks and understand that I’m not just lazy, mediocre, or crazy because there’s a medical explanation for why I am the way I am.

I’m Lovin’: How well she understands our ordeal and how well she articulates them in her videos, making them clear-cut and digestible.

Check out: How to Set Boundaries in Six Easy Steps

Rowena Tsai

Rowena’s videos are basically practical productivity tips that feel like a hug from a good, stable-minded friend. I turn to her when I need to do some positivity. She calls her subscribers potatoes, which is apt because I'm sure there’s a study somewhere that says the majority of the people who watch productivity videos regularly are actually couch potatoes. The important thing is we're trying to better ourselves, so props to that! She also gathered her potatoes in a community on the Vibely app HERE.

I’m Lovin’: the cross-references to books she’s read (Read: she did not make it all up and has resources to back her up!)

Check out: the one habit that is changing my life: set systems rather than goals (I believe in doing both! Goals direct systems. - LG)

Rachel Nguyen

Unlike most people on this list, Rachel’s channel is a mishmash of lifestyle, productivity, and beauty videos. She is, to me, like a typical YouTuber content-wise but without the over-enthusiasm of a perky YouTuber. I know you know what I’m talking about! She’s introspective, knows herself, and just happens to share her life once in a while with the world. Her thoughts poke my mind, and I hope they will do yours.

I’m Lovin’: How genuine she looks and sounds, as if she never tries to edit herself. We’re just keeping it real over here!

Check out: POINT OF VIEW (A masterpiece on this pandemic lockdown, if I must say. It isn't all ~positivity~; she’s just tellin’ it how it is. - LG)

Amy Landino

Amy resigned from her job as a lawyer to be a full-time content creator. If that doesn't give you an idea of how serious she is about this business, I don’t know what else will. I have a love-hate relationship with her, though, since I’m not fond of personalities that feel like a branding. She feels to me like the girl who wakes up every day ahead of her alarm and just does everything lined up for the day, with no complaints or delay. Good Morning, Good Life-as what her catchphrase says. Yes, I wouldn’t turn to her on my down days but if I need some Lady Bossing up to do (AKA pull myself together, get shit done, or wake up at 5 AM), she’s our girl.

I’m Lovin’: You know that gym coach you hate but eagerly pushes you to do one more push-up, for a few more seconds, just one more? She’s like that but at LIFE.

Check out: 7 Things Organized People Do Differently

Break The Twitch

I discovered this channel when I was still looking into the practice of minimalism. Anthony taught me that while design can be minimalist, minimalism is not necessarily about white walls and owning Scandinavian furniture as Instagram tells you. It isn’t about having 10 pieces of clothing either. In his channel, he gives 101’s and breaks down misconceptions about the practice. Personally, I don’t exercise minimalism strictly. But I have decluttered multiple times in the past and now focus on curbing my accumulation. His channel helps a lot with that without making me feel guilty for not being in it 100%.

I’m Lovin’: His thoughts are always so concise and on point!

Check Out: Avoid This One Minimalism Mistake

Nathaniel Drew

Nathaniel is the newest discovery from this list. He does more than the bare minimum and goes out of his way to perfect the storytelling & cinematography of whatever he puts out. Sometimes we need things given straight; other times we need them lyrical. And even then, he manages to take out the fluff in concepts he tackles so you can be sure it’s not BS you’re being fed.

I’m Lovin’: How much thought goes into all of his videos.

Check out: How to Create the Life You Want (And Find Your North Star)

Audrey Coyne

Enter the keywords capsule wardrobe, slow shopping, and how to dress better and you’re sure to stumble upon Audrey’s videos. The majority of her content is about styling outfits to fit your body, age, or personal style depending on a given occasion or season. A self-proclaimed minimalist, her videos revolve around doing the most with what you already have so you don’t end up buying more pieces of clothing.

I’m Lovin: How soothing her voice is, which I would bet is one of the most commented subjects on her channel

Check out: 22 Pieces, Over 40 Outfits | Spring Capsule Wardrobe

Beauty Within

This one is down in the list because the channel is not explicitly about Intentional Living or the like. But as a girl who’s into beauty, I like educating myself on skincare and makeup before I make the purchase. The days when we are not in the know of the chemicals we put on our face is over! Rowena (Yep! Same potato from #2 in this list) and Felicia do not just casually drop beauty jargon. They also delve deeper into the scientific aspect of both the skin and the products. I usually keep their videos in my Watch Later list so I can sit down with my wine and mask while being schooled during a sleepover. Take the channel with a grain of salt, though, or you might end up hoarding products you’ll never hit pan.

I’m Lovin: How thorough their explanations are, especially with their illustrations, which I think is why their videos are usually 20-30 minutes long (and I don’t mind at all!)

Check out: How to Build An Effective Skincare Routine for Clear Skin: for ALL Skin Types

The Financial Diet

We all have had bad money habits to break at some point in our lives. For me, it was when I was still receiving a weekly allowance from my parents and did not have to toil for any of it. For most people, it happens when they get a taste of their own paycheck for the first time. And so, a few years back, I went on a Financial Diet with TFD. I have always tracked my cashflow since college but personal finance is a lot more complicated than that. It helped me assess my income and expenses better and compelled me to study stocks, debt instruments, credit scores, etc. They tackled concepts and policies not applicable in my country of origin so I've always wished they had a local equivalent. Full disclosure: I have since unsubscribed from the channel months ago because they started to sound repetitive and condescending to me. But I'm keeping it on the list because I cannot deny the impact it had on the way I view and handle money to this day.

I’m Lovin’: How Chelsea doesn’t shy away from being technical. Their videos are mostly voice-over narrations with cute vectors now which are nicely done, too.

Check out: 6 Ways You’re Losing Money Without Realizing It

Bonus:

Anna Akana

People wouldn’t really associate Anna with Intentional Living; I doubt even Anna would do so herself. But a lot of living with intention and being deliberate with our actions (and inaction) warrant a lot of introspection. I would deem her to be strong in that department. Her skits are witty, smart, and stripped of BS. They have helped me build, respect, and assert my personal boundaries unapologetically.

I’m Lovin’: that she is the epitome of my brand of humor.

Check out: How to put on your face

Who’s your favorite YouTuber? Did s/he make it in the list?