Living intentionally, especially when the tide is against you

How to stay grounded in your values and purpose when everything feels out of control

Let’s be real for a second.

It’s easy to live with purpose when everything’s going your way. When life is calm. Bills are paid. Relationships are stable. Your brain isn’t in overdrive trying to survive the day.

But what about when life hits you hard?

• What about when nothing is working the way you planned?

• When your bank account is shrinking…

• Your goals feel blurry…

And every step forward feels like a struggle uphill?

That’s when intentional living matters most. Not when the waters are calm, but when the tide is against you.

What does living intentionally mean?

Ever yearn for having the perfect, most productive life, or having the days ahead all figured out? Maybe it’s a wish that can never come true.

Let’s think about design by intent instead.

• Choosing your response instead of reacting by default

• Living by your values, not your emotions

• Making conscious decisions

Even when the world around you is chaotic.

It’s the difference between drifting and directing. Between living on autopilot… and living on purpose.

Intentional living matters more when life feels hard

Hard seasons expose your defaults.

When things fall apart, you fall into habits- mental, emotional, and behavioural. If you’re not rooted in intent, you’ll react from fear, anxiety, scarcity, or numbness. But when you live with intent, you stay rooted, even when everything else is shaking.

You may not control the storm. But you can control the sail.

Intentional living gives you clarity. It gives your mind a direction when everything around you says “give up.” It helps to steer your course even when the wind blows strong.

What’s stopping you?

There are lots of roadblocks existing in our life. Maybe you experience:

1️⃣ Emotional overwhelm

When your mind is spinning, your focus disappears. Intent feels impossible when you're just trying to survive the day.

2️⃣ Fear & uncertainty

Fear tells you to retreat, play small, or wait until things “get better.” But waiting isn’t living. It’s pausing your power.

3️⃣ External pressure

Trying to meet expectations, of society, family, followers, these pull you away from your true intentions.

4️⃣ Losing sight of your why

In chaos, you forget

• what really matters

• what’s your why

• how you should live

You chase quick wins instead of meaningful moves.

Sound familiar?

That’s why you need to consciously come back to center.

How to live with intent (especially when it’s hard)

Here’s how to bring yourself back to intention, one choice at a time:

1️⃣ Pause before reacting

In the moment you feel triggered, overwhelmed, or stuck.

Pause.

Breathe.

Regroup.

Ask: “What would the intentional version of me do right now?”

That single pause breaks the autopilot cycle. You’re not avoiding reality, you’re stepping into your power.

2️⃣ Revisit your core values

In hard times, your values are your compass.

Are you living in alignment with what matters to you? Or are you making decisions based on fear? Write down your top 3 values and ask if your actions reflecting those values.

That one check-in can reset your day.

3️⃣ Set one small intention per day

Forget the massive to-do list. Forget the hustle checklist. Choose one thing each day that aligns with your purpose.

• “Today, I will show up with calm in the chaos.”

• “Today, I will write from the heart—even if it’s messy.”

• “Today, I will say no to what drains me.”

You don’t need 100 goals. You need one that matters.

4️⃣ Limit the noise

When life gets noisy, silence becomes sacred.

You don’t need everyone’s opinion. You don’t need 5 self-help books or 10 YouTube videos. You need space to hear your own voice.

• Block out distractionss

• Turn down the volume

• Tune into your own truth

5️⃣ Create anchors

We all drift. That’s human. But you can build systems that pull you back when you do.

Create a daily ritual, a journal prompt, a walk, a phrase, a song, a morning routine, things that grounds you.

Every morning, stand in front of the mirror and ask: “What kind of person do I want to be today?”

That 10-second question will pull you back when the world tries to pull you away.

Why it’s worth it

Living with intent won’t stop the hard days from coming, but it will change how you show up when they do.

It gives you:

• 💡 Clarity when life feels messy

• 🛠️ Power when you feel helpless

• 🌱 Growth when most people give up

Because here’s the truth:

Anyone can live with purpose when life is easy. But the ones who choose intent in the storm?

You become unstoppable.

You just need to decide

You don’t need to fix everything, just

• decide to pause

• decide to act from your values

• decide to move with intention

Even if it’s slow, messy, or uncertain.

Let the chaos swirl around you.

But let your feet stay planted.

Because intent isn’t a result of peace. It’s what creates it.

Live with intention today.

Dare to fail so you can dare to win - Moon Arica

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Expand your comfort zone here, tell me your thoughts:

1. Where’s the line between thinking and overthinking?

2. Will overthinking affect your physical health?

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