The Paradox of Intentionality

I’ve written about the intentionality of life more times than I can count. It’s not just a theme—it’s a thread that runs through nearly everything I create. And yet, even after all this time, I still find it to be the most amazing and frustrating way to live.

Why?

• Because intentionality is a paradox.

• It is both enlightening and disappointing.

• It is both beautiful and ugly.

• It is both joyous and disheartening.

  
  

The Beauty of Being Present

Some of the most meaningful moments in my life have come when I simply stopped and noticed. When I was walking with my daughters through a new city, soaking in the unfamiliar rhythm of a place. When I stood before a vast body of water and felt small in the best way. When I was presenting and saw someone’s eyes light up with insight. These are the moments I live for—fleeting, beautiful, and deeply grounding.

And here’s the thing: those moments would have happened whether I noticed them or not. But intentionality gave me the gift of seeing them. Because perception is reality.

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"If time were the currency by which we measure the success of our lives; would we spend it differently?"

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The Drift of Unconscious Living

On the other side of this beauty is something far more common—and far more dangerous: unconscious living. The new normal. It’s the haze we slip into when we’re just going through the motions, reacting to life instead of engaging with it. I’ve looked back at seasons of my life and realized I was just doing things to do them. No purpose. No presence. Just survival.

And while I know that sometimes autopilot is necessary, I actively try to minimize how often I live there. That’s part of why I still blog. Writing is my way of waking up. It’s how I reflect, recalibrate, and