Is today going how you intended it to?

My son has been drawing book covers for his latest ideas, about a superhero called Charm who can enter different dimensions.

His cover reads by the 'Number One Bestselling Author'. He is at a beautiful age when cynicism, doubt, others voices haven't infiltrated his belief. Coupled with this, he has a belief that it is possible. He is clear about what he wants to do with his life. Every day, he is writing, drawing and scribbling down endless lists of titles. He wants to write, illustrate, and possibly create the odd video game.

This feels like intention, purpose, passion, vision all rolled into one. Buzz words which we adults are too often made to feel guilty about – surely you know what you're doing with your life?

For every person who talks to me about passion, another will say they don't have any.

For every conversation about purpose, there is another about doubt.

Feeling guilty or inadequate that you haven't figured it out is self-punishment. Punishing yourself doesn't fuel you with the energy to start new things. Without this energy, how can you change things up a little and ditch what doesn't feel good?

I believe we know what we want to fill our lives with, but we don't prioritise it.

Often we find ourselves looking too far into the future. Just wait till you've had another baby. You'll have more time when the kids go to school. Once you've got that promotion, things will click into place.

But what about now?

Life isn't something out there in the distant future. It is right here every day. You need to commit to showing up to it, investing in it, setting aside other distractions that aren't helpful. The more you do this, the more confident you'll be in understanding what you're about, what your gifts are, what lights you up.

Sometimes, we get paid for these things like our work. Sometimes, we do these things for free, like setting up a podcast to inspire others. Sometimes we do them alone, and sometimes we collaborate. Our passions will show up in different ways. There's not a three-step program to figuring it out. There are three things that matter, though – intention, showing up and trust.

Be intentional about your precious time. Keep showing up to the things that matter. And trust that it is enough.

A friend told me about Oliver Burkeman's book 'Four thousand weeks: Time and How to Use it'.  Disclaimer: I have yet to read it, but it's at the top of my book pile

Burkeman describes it as 'how to make the most of our radically finite lives in a world of impossible demands, relentless distraction and political insanity'. It's on my list, particularly as he offers the idea that so-called 'productivity techniques' in reality just make everyone feel busier!

I get it. Being productive makes us more efficient but doesn't that mean we get more to do?

The thing that struck me the most, though, is this 4000-weeks concept. That's roughly how long I have left to live if I make it to my 80's. I'm 42.

I have less than 4000 weeks left.

For me, there is nothing morbid or depressing in this. It just put a whole new perspective on life when it's counted in weeks.

Because when you reframe it, it becomes I have another 4000 weeks to live. That sounds much more thrilling.

We normally use weeks to refer to the length of a holiday, how pregnant you are, or how long the builders said it would take.

When you really consider it, 4000 weeks is an almost unimaginable amount of time.

While I haven't read his book yet, I recently went back to an old self-help classic called 'The Power of Intention' by Wayne Dyer. Dyer talks about intention, less as something we do but more about the energy that surrounds us.

It feels to me that 4000 weeks and intention seem inextricably linked.

What would happen if we were intentional every day?

Imagine waking each morning and being intentional about what you did, who you connected with, who you helped, the energy you brought to a room, how you loved and laughed. Everyday. Every week.

For me, whatever my mood, however the day has begun, I set an intention for the day. It's usually a word to anchor me, something to return to if things get frenetic.

Today my word is slow. It's Sunday. It seems the whole family wants to go slow today. A walk in the park and watching Lego Masters is enough. I lost my balance around 4pm, frustrated that I hadn't made headway with a personal project. Then I heard a little voice in my head say slow, and I could feel my judgement wash away.

Intention is also a reminder of the energy that we show up with. How we are and how we behave has a huge impact on others. My children felt it today at 4 o'clock. It didn't make sense to them why I was agitated. Why my mood had dropped. That one word – slow - allowed me to rest and reset and be what I had intended to be.

It's not on the same scale as becoming a number one bestselling author. That's one hell of an intention. He believes that's what he'll be, and maybe it'll happen. Who knows? Who cares? For now, it's that intention that drives my son, and that's enough.

Perhaps you're familiar with the 4000 weeks, or maybe like me, this is a new way of seeing an age-old story. We have one precious life. We know it will end. How intentional are you being with it?

I'd love to hear your thoughts about this. Do you set daily intentions? Is it something you have thought about? Let me know by replying to this email. I'd love to chat about it more.