What I hope to build

Several years ago, I started a project called My Intentional Life. At the time, I was overwhelmed, juggling work, family, responsibilities, and a growing realization that life wasn’t slowing down. I kept asking myself a simple question: Am I building my life intentionally, or am I just reacting to whatever comes next?

Shortly after pondering this question, I listened to my friend and mentor speak on a topic she is really passionate about in one of her leadership series – building a culture by design, not default. I realized if we can do that with our workplace cultures, if we can do that with our cities and lands, why can’t we do that as individual’s and families. Building on purpose, with intention, for the life that we want rather than the default programming.

So how do we build intentionally? This has influenced how I approach my marriage, raise my children, choose my work, serve my community, care for my health, and spend my time. Most of the things that matter in life don’t happen by accident. Strong families don’t happen by accident. Healthy communities don’t happen by accident. Meaningful careers don’t happen by accident. Good health doesn’t happen by accident.

They are built one decision at a time.

I don’t have all the answers. In fact, one of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that certainty is often overrated. The older I get, the more I realize how much I don’t know.

What I do know is this: The future doesn’t happen by accident. Every road, school, park, business, friendship, family tradition, and community was built because someone decided it was worth creating.

For much of my life, I thought success was about achievement. Get the degree. Build the career. Earn the promotion. Reach the next milestone. Over time, my perspective shifted. Today, I’m less interested in achievement for its own sake and more interested in creation.

I don’t believe any single person has the answer for our future, but I do believe that each of us has a responsibility to contribute to it.

This website is where I explore those ideas.

Some posts will be about family. Some will be about health. Some will be about work, community, learning, spirituality, or play. They may seem unrelated at first glance, but to me they’re all connected. They’re all part of the same question: What does it mean to build a good life?

I’m still figuring that out. This is where I think out loud. This website is where I explore what it means to build an intentional life, for myself, my family, and my community.

Not a perfect life. Not an optimized life. An intentional one. You’ll find stories about family, health, learning, work, community, spirituality, and play. At first glance they may seem unrelated, but to me they’re all connected. They’re all part of the same project.

A project to build a life worth living and leave the world a little better than I found it.

Welcome to my little corner of the internet.