This Next Chapter Is Called: Living With Intention
Spring always feels like a quiet turning point.
Not in the loud, “new year, new me” way that January often brings — but in a softer, steadier way. The days get lighter, the air feels different, and there’s this sense that things are slowly starting again.
For me, the start of this year didn’t look like fresh motivation or big resolutions.
After the year I’d had, I came into January still feeling exhausted — physically, mentally and emotionally. I wasn’t starting from excitement or momentum. I was starting from survival.
So instead of setting big goals straight away, January and February became something different.
They became months of soul searching.
Months of slowing down enough to ask myself some honest questions about what I actually want from life, what matters most to me, and how I want our family life to feel.
It’s been a process of getting clear on my why again — not just in work or motherhood, but in the way I live my everyday life.
And now, as we move into spring, I finally feel ready to step forward again.
Not with pressure.
Not with perfection.
But with intention.
Why I’m Choosing Intentions, Not Big Goals
For a long time, I thought goals were the answer.
If I just set the right ones, worked hard enough and stayed disciplined enough — everything would fall into place.
But motherhood, mental health and real life don’t work like that.
Big, rigid goals can feel heavy when you’re already carrying a lot. They can make you feel like you’re constantly falling short if you can’t give 100% every day — and most mums I know simply don’t have 100% to give.
So this year, I’m choosing intentions instead.
Intentions aren’t about achievement.
They’re about direction.
They help guide how I make decisions, where I spend my energy, and what I say no to.
They allow flexibility — and right now, flexibility feels essential.
What My Intentions Look Like This Year
I’ve set 13 intentions for the year.
Not as a checklist to complete, but as themes I want to come back to again and again.
They centre around things like:
Protecting my mental health
Being more present with my family
Moving my body in ways that feel supportive
Creating calm in our home
Building work that fits around my life — not the other way round
None of them are flashy.
None of them are about doing more.
They’re about living better.
Redefining Success
Success used to look like productivity.
Now, it looks like balance.
It looks like:
• Ending the day with a little energy left
• Feeling grounded more often than overwhelmed
• Having space to enjoy my children instead of just managing the chaos
• Making slow, steady progress without burning out again
This year, success isn’t about how much I achieve.
It’s about how life actually feels while I’m living it.
A Gentle Prompt for You
If the start of this year has felt messy, slow, or uncertain for you too — you’re not alone.
Not everyone begins January ready to sprint.
Sometimes we need time to pause, reflect and reset before we can move forward again.
So instead of asking yourself what you should achieve this year, maybe ask yourself:
• What feels heavy in my life right now?
• What do I want less of this year?
• What would feeling more balanced actually look like for me?
You don’t need a complete overhaul.
Small, manageable steps count.
And you’re not behind — you’re simply moving at the pace your life needs right now.
What’s Next
Now that I feel clearer on my intentions, the next step is figuring out how to actually build them into everyday life.
In my next post, I’ll be sharing the habits I’m slowly building this year — small, realistic changes that support these intentions without adding pressure.
Because intentions matter…
…but life needs to support them too.
