I remember the exact moment when I decided I needed to embrace a more intentional life. It was well into the lockdown, and I realized I was working more than before the pandemic. In addition, I was more self-absorbed than ever before. Which, in turn, caused my preschooler to suffer. Thankfully, he is a fast learner, so I didn’t feel so terrible about not spending an ample amount of time teaching him how to write his name.
That was the exact moment that I knew things needed to change. My family and I needed to be more intentional with the way we were living. Given this opportunity to spend more time together—precious time that we would never get back—we were nose deep into our computers, trying to attend school, work, and complete essential shopping.
Once I realized all of this, I realized that living with intention wasn’t something you just did with the snap of your fingers; it was something you had to do intentionally.
And one of the ways we did this wasn’t necessarily turning off the computers (because we couldn’t), but setting up our workstations in the same room. Taking breaks together. Giving our full attention to the moments.
That was step one in our journey toward embracing a more intentional life.
Start Small and Stay Consistent
Intentional living isn’t about a big, sweeping change overnight. It’s a series of small choices that build into a lifestyle. Start by asking yourself:
“Is what I’m doing right now helping me live the life I want?”
If the answer is no, adjust. Maybe it’s a five-minute coffee break where you look out the window instead of scrolling your phone. Maybe it’s eating dinner without any screens on, even if it’s just for fifteen minutes.
Small moments of awareness grow into bigger habits.
Set Your Priorities (And Be Honest)
Intentional living requires brutal honesty with yourself. You have to know what actually matters to you, not what you think should matter. For us, it was a family connection. For you, it might be creativity, health, service, or rest.
Take a few minutes to write down your top three priorities. Keep them where you can see them. When life gets busy (and it always does), these will serve as your true north.
Create Rhythms, Not Rigid Schedules
One of the biggest lessons I learned is that being intentional doesn’t mean micromanaging every second of the day. It’s about creating rhythms that guide you gently through your day. Morning walks, afternoon tea, nightly story time—simple touchpoints that anchor your life and remind you to slow down and savor.
We began to structure our day around connection: morning check-ins, shared lunchtime, and evening walks when the weather allowed. Nothing fancy. Nothing overwhelming. Just rhythms that kept us close.
- A Day In the Life-of a Single Mum
- Introducing Christina, the journal
- 5 ways to Spot a Mass-Produced Candle
- Small Business Brand: Building The Rustic Boutique Co.
- Craft Fair Prep-Pt 2
Protect Your Attention Like It’s Gold (Because It Is)
Our attention is constantly being pulled in a million directions—notifications, emails, endless news cycles. To live intentionally, you have to fiercely protect your attention.
That might mean putting your phone in another room when you’re playing with your kids. Or setting limits on social media. It might even mean saying no to opportunities that sound great but don’t align with your priorities.
When you protect your attention, you are protecting your energy, your focus, and your peace.
Give Yourself Grace
Intentional living isn’t about perfection. It’s about direction. There will be days when you fall back into old habits. There will be seasons that feel busier and messier than others. That’s okay.
Grace is part of the process. What matters is that you keep coming back—again and again—to the life you want to live, not the one that pulls you along by default.
Final Thoughts
Embracing a more intentional life didn’t happen all at once for me. It’s still unfolding, day by day, choice by choice. But even in the messy middle of it all, there’s more peace, more connection, and more joy.
If you’re feeling pulled in every direction, let this be your reminder: you can slow down. You can choose. You can live intentionally, and it doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful.
Start small. Start today.
Thank you for stopping by and allowing me to share with you how I learned to embrace a more intentional way of life. I hope this inspires you to create your own version of living with intention.
I’d love to hear from you—what’s one small way you’re embracing a more intentional life lately? Leave a comment below!
Until Next time
Christina
