Intentional living mistakes

–The Mistake of Abandoning Intentional Living When Life Gets Messy

When life throws curveballs—and it will—it’s tempting to drop everything we were carefully building in the name of “handling it.” I’ve done this more than once. I abandoned routines, let go of financial discipline, and made reactive choices that, in hindsight, hurt me more than the actual crisis ever did.

Neglecting Money

One of the biggest mistakes I made was neglecting money.
I had good intentions, strong values, and discipline in other areas—but I overlooked how deeply money (or the lack of it) influences everything. It shapes the food we eat, the products we use, the jobs we stay in, and whether we live in freedom or fear. Pretending money wasn’t central to intentional living left me in situations I didn’t want to be in—not by choice, but by need.
That’s not freedom. That’s survival mode.

I wish I would’ve invested more and focused a bit less on hobbies and passions. It’s also frustrating to think that if I had known about investing at 13, maybe my starting point would’ve been different. But as they say, the best time to learn about investing and start building wealth and financial stability was yesterday — the second best time is today. Now, finances are a key pillar of how I live with intention.

Abandoning Routines

Another mistake? Letting go of my routines.
When life got hard, I told myself I didn’t have time or energy for them. But routines are not a luxury—they’re part of the scaffolding that holds you up when everything else feels like it’s crumbling.
Instead of anchoring into the habits that grounded me, I dropped them to “fix” everything. The result? eisk of burnout. More chaos. Less clarity.
What I’ve learned: routines don’t slow you down, they stabilize you. Especially in the storm.

2. Neglecting Self-Care

Self-care is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Ignoring your physical, mental, and emotional well-being can lead to burnout and hinder your ability to live intentionally. Make self-care a priority by incorporating activities that rejuvenate you into your daily routine.

The All-or-Nothing Trap

Intentional living isn’t about perfection. It’s not about always having it together.
It’s about choosing systems, boundaries, and practices that support you—especially when things fall apart. I used to believe I had to abandon everything to respond to life’s messiness. Now I know better.
Resilience is not just bouncing back—it’s having something in place to bounce from.