How I Am Learning to Live with Intention While Rebuilding My Life

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about what it actually looks like to rebuild your life without rushing it.

In a recent episode of the podcast, Breathe Again, I talked about something I’ve slowly been learning over the past year. For a long time, I thought starting over meant dramatic change...new environments, big decisions, constant movement. Almost like if I could just get to the next chapter fast enough, I’d finally feel settled.

But what I’m realizing is that starting over isn’t always loud. Sometimes it's just learning how to breathe again.

For me, that has started to show up in small, practical ways, especially in how I’m choosing to spend my time and money this year.

One thing I’ve noticed about myself in the past is that I used experiences almost like an escape hatch. If I was tired, overwhelmed, or feeling stuck, my instinct was to plan something big or spend money in a way that made me feel like life was moving again.

But lately I’ve been approaching things differently.

Instead of trying to escape my life, I’ve been learning how to enjoy it.

That means planning things with intention. Not pressure. Not comparison. Just thoughtful choices.

For example, this year I’ve been planning trips in a way that feels slower and more realistic. Not packing every hour with activities or feeling like I have to do everything just because I’m in a new place. I’m actually looking forward to simple things: walking around the city, finding a good coffee shop, sitting in a park, wandering into a bookstore, or discovering something unexpected along the way.

A younger version of me probably would have felt like that wasn’t “enough.” Like if I was traveling, it had to be big and impressive to count.

But I’m realizing something now.

Experiences don’t have to be extravagant to be meaningful.

Sometimes the most peaceful moments come from giving yourself permission to enjoy where you are without turning it into a performance.

Another shift I’ve been making is being more mindful about spending. Not in a restrictive way, but in a thoughtful way. I’ve been asking myself simple questions like:

Is this something I actually want to do, or am I doing it because it feels like I should?

That question alone has changed a lot for me.

What This Looks Like In Real Life

One of the things I shared in the Breathe Again episode is that living with intention doesn’t just stay in your head...it shows up in the practical choices you make.

For example, I just got back from one of our family camping trips...something we do a couple times a year. It’s simple, it’s affordable, and honestly it reminds me that some of the best moments in life don’t require a big budget at all.

For me, living this way has looked like planning trips earlier so I’m not scrambling at the last minute, choosing experiences that feel meaningful instead of expensive, and finding ways to spread out the cost of travel so it doesn’t feel overwhelming.

When I’ve been looking at flights this year, I’ve also used Airfordable, which lets you reserve a flight and pay it off over time instead of paying everything upfront. (Use code AFRC-LFFGR for $25 towards your first booking when you sign up!)

Little choices like that make it easier to plan experiences without feeling like you’re putting unnecessary pressure on your finances.

It’s not about limiting life. It's about approaching it more thoughtfully.

Because living intentionally doesn’t mean you stop enjoying life. If anything, it means you enjoy it more because you’re not constantly trying to prove something to yourself or anyone else.

You’re just present.

And that, to me, is what breathing again really looks like.

Not running.

Not chasing.

Not constantly trying to reinvent your life overnight.

Just slowing down enough to realize that the life you’re rebuilding can still be beautiful while it’s in progress.

And sometimes the most meaningful chapters are the quiet ones.

If this is something you’ve been navigating too, I talk more about this idea and share a few other practical examples in the Breathe Again episode of the podcast.

Sometimes rebuilding doesn’t require a brand new life.

Sometimes it just requires learning how to live the one you already have.

Listen to the Full Conversation

If this resonates with you, I share more about this shift in the Breathe Again episode of the Closed for Maintenance podcast.

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