Fall Discovery: How to be Intentional

There are thousands of ways to live intentionally. In fact, this is one of the widest action words I know. Intention can be applied to literally every area of our lives. Work, relationships, faith, parenting, friendships, fitness, mental well-being, hobbies/interests . . .When the options are so vast, intention can get lost in the opportunities.

Simply put, intentionality is taking specific actions toward an outcome that is important to you.

Intention can get lost in the action and execution when we don’t first determine what is important to us. We can adopt someone else’s list of intentional acts because they appeal to us. But if the purpose isn’t in line with our own purpose, intentional living ends up fizzling out or burning us out.

Why I Started Creating Bucket Lists

I started making bucket lists about two years ago. Previous to that, I had shifted from writing to women’s networking for a time. When it was time to shift back to writing, I lacked inspiration and my personal why. Creating bucket lists were a simple way to find what was important to me again.

My first bucket list was for Valentine’s Day. The list focused on loving others, self care, creativity and hospitality. You can look at that first bucket list and all of the others by clicking here.

Four Pillars

As I continued to create bucket lists for Spring, Summer, Fall, Christmas and the New Year, my why became clearer and clearer. My four personal pillars represent what is important to me.

  • Loving others is a biblical call and brings me joy.
  • Self care is an area I have neglected most of my adult life. However, I can confidently say no more after a lot of growth in the last few years.
  • Input and output in the way of creativity is what keeps my soul alive. I find that I am more fully myself and happy when I am honoring creativity in my life.
  • I think I could write a book on hospitality. In this brief bullet, I will share that my home with its furniture, accessories and food represents a valuable way to invite others into peace, comfort and enjoyment.

The List Must Bolster Wholeness, Not Productivity

My understanding of intentionality also grew as I wrote and lived out bucket lists. I learned that if, even for one minute, the list felt like a burden, then the list was no longer serving its purpose. If the list sneakily transitioned to a measure of productivity, then it was time to stop. Or, if the list negatively impacted my worth, then the list lost its worth. Make sense?

Bucket List Mantra

As I continued to create bucket lists, this became my mantra:

My bucket lists are about bearing fruit. They are intentional guides to help you live out love, self care, creativity and hospitality in every season.

Fall Bucket List Progress

This week on IG, I shared my Fall bucket list journey thus far. I’m sharing the pics here with more detail. Enjoy. Be inspired. Be intentional. Be bold with your love. Down below you will find a few questions to help you write your own seasonal bucket list.

Three of us pooled resources for this fall bundle of goodness. I dropped it off, sent a text that something was outside and hopped back in the car. We picked this friend because she is a giver and tends to isolate when she is in need of comfort, sisterhood and understanding. This was our way of delivering that to her while honoring her desire to seek solace within her home.

Dustyn is my monthly coffee date for the rest of the year. She doesn’t know that it’s life giving to me to serve her as she lives out a part of her story I see in myself. What a blessing to exercise vulnerability, laughter and sisterhood.

I love my green pumpkin. I also have a yellow and orange striped cutie with a green ribbon tied around the stem. I have been known to go overboard with my pumpkin purchases, but I am quite happy with these two this year.

We have fall scented candles in every room. Many of them are lit right now. The last three people who walked through the front door said, what smells so good? Bull’s eye!

If you flipped over this card, you would see that I have written three Christmas miracles I am praying for. I hope to write a few more. Some are big and some are small, but all mean something to me.

Discovery Questions: WRITE YOUR OWN BUCKET LIST

  1. Name four things that are important to you. You could include categories like I did or individual people, a specific hobby, something work related. Enjoy writing a few important things.
  2. Once you have a few important things, think about your season of life. You could choose the actual season as I did. Or you could note your life season such as empty nester, busy time at work, hurting in need of healing, overflowing season . . .
  3. Write down the season you chose in number two on the top of a sheet of paper. Below it, write the four things that are important to you.
  4. Now you are ready to write your bucket list. Be inspired by things that are important to you in the season of life you are in. Give yourself a time frame to live out your bucket list items.

Love,

Sasha

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Fall Discovery: How to Kick Off Fall

It is, indeed, possible to celebrate all that is good and beautiful during the golden harvest days, while at the same time reconciling the reality of all that has been upended by pain, health troubles, relational conflicts.

Jennifer Dukes Lee, Growing Slow: Lessons on Unhurrying Your Heart from an Accidental Farm Girl

We are not farm girls. We are Florida girls who know no change of seasons whatsoever. Yet, we know the abundance that is intrinsic in Fall. We celebrate with plaid shirts and booties even though it’s 80 degrees. Our churches and schools haul in truckloads of pumpkins and gourds for photo ops. We bake with apples, pears and cranberries that come from somewhere else. Even so, we treasure the harvest.

We know growth and we welcome fruit when it appears.

My bucket lists are a lot about bearing fruit. They are intentional guides to help you live out love, self care, creativity and hospitality in every season.

I truly wasn’t sure if I would craft a bucket list this Fall. But then a friend asked me to make a bucket list for her pastor’s wives retreat. After I finished that project, I changed up a few of the items to cover those of us ladies who are not married to a pastor, or not married at all.

I hope you’ll print this bucket list and put it on your desk or in your purse. I will probably stick a copy in my planner. I mark off each item as I go and try to remember to take a pic of the thing that I did for remembrance.

  • My hope is that through monthly coffee with a new friend, you’ll grow deep roots of friendship and exemplify community to others.
  • My wish is that you’ll have fun and maybe even feel unexpectedly brave with a seasonal, signature lipstick.
  • I am already smiling at the thought of you dropping off a fall basket on a friend’s doorstep, ringing the doorbell and running back to your car before you’re seen.

Two Things at Once?

I see you doing all of these things despite the pain, troubles and conflicts you’ve been living. It’s okay to do two things at once. I have always loved Fall, but I love it differently now. That’s because I’m okay with doubting and believing at the same time. I am okay with growing and being pruned in the same moment. I’ve learned to face the hard circumstance and also be filled with hope. I can be confident and also not know what is going to happen next. It’s okay to do two things at once.

Girls, even Florida girls, live the Fall bucket list. Celebrate the season of harvest. Even if you are sure it’s not your season of fruit, embrace the season that promises the coming of fruit. Reconcile, grow and celebrate all at the same time.

Love you always,

Sasha

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Summer Discovery: How to Curate a Colorful Fall

Summer Devotion – August, Week Two Recording

I recorded a reading of the post entitled Reflection. It’s short and sweet and gets you straight to the Discovery Questions where the real vision for Fall is formed.

My Responses to the Discovery Questions

Truly, I could not be more confident that Reflection is the way to curate your next season with intention, understanding and resolve. Let me give you a few examples so that you can get a feel for this exercise.

Last Fall, I planned a family trip for my son’s 18 birthday. In my defense, I asked him in advance but he didn’t really hear me. This trip was miserable; he didn’t want to be there. Ugh. I concluded that, when you have adult kids, everyone has to be on board for a family trip. This is a new family rule.

In the same season, I didn’t stick to a decision I made to resign from a role. I rolled back in and was hit with the reasons that I resigned in the first place. I have concluded that it’s best to step in or out. The middle is an unclear space that I don’t need to be.

Last, I remained hung up on a few failures. I was living ground hog day in the worst way. No more of that. I don’t have all the answers on stopping that broken record, but I will not go down that road again.

On the other hand, I will continue

  • Supporting Leila. She has aspirations and I enjoy helping her.
  • Connecting with Quinn while abroad this Fall; making him feel loved.
  • Attending galas, concerts and plays with Eric and/or friends
  • Enjoying several beach walks a week plus yoga
  • Making bucket lists and writing
  • Serving the community, my Devoted sisters and the church

I am taking with me the mantra below. It may sound bland. I’m sorry for that! Lately, it keeps me moving towards the woman I would like to become in the seasons ahead.

CONSISTENCY OVER PERFECTION

Love you always,

Sasha

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