Intention over intensity

Happy New Year!
I’m really glad you’re here. Thank you for taking a moment to read.

The start of a new year often brings a surge of intensity. New goals, fresh plans, and the pressure to do more, move faster, and get ahead. That energy can be motivating, but it can also quietly push us into a pace we were never meant to keep. We live in a culture that rewards intensity. Full calendars, long hours, constant motion. If you’re busy, it must mean you’re productive. But intensity, while impressive on the outside, often leaves us scattered on the inside.

Intensity reacts. It responds to urgency, pressure, and noise. It fills the day quickly but doesn’t always move us forward meaningfully. Many of us aren’t exhausted because we’re doing too much we’re exhausted because we’re doing too much without direction.

Intention works differently. Intention pauses long enough to choose. It asks what actually matters before it asks what’s next. When we move with intention, our effort becomes focused instead of frantic. The work still happens, but it’s guided by clarity rather than urgency. This isn’t a call to stop working hard. Hard work is good. It’s biblical. But hard work without intention often leads to burnout, resentment, and misalignment. Intention doesn’t remove effort—it gives effort a destination.

Scripture reminds us that our work is meant to be aligned, not just completed. “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established” (Proverbs 16:3). Commitment implies thoughtfulness. It means inviting God into not just what we do, but how we do it and why we do it.

As this year begins, I hope you’ll pay attention to your pace. Notice where you’re reacting instead of choosing. Ask yourself whether your effort is aligned with what truly matters. Productivity doesn’t have to be loud to be effective.

Choose intention over intensity. Not just for this week but as a way of moving forward.

Thanks for reading. I’m looking forward to sharing more in this space as we navigate work, purpose, and faith together. :)

— Michelle Arnold