Preparing for Renewal: Setting Intentions with Clarity

Breaking Free from Urgency Culture & Embracing Intentional Growth

Winter has held us in her quiet embrace, teaching us the power of stillness. She reminded us to go inside—both into our homes and into ourselves—to sit by the hearth, to listen, to reflect. In the Season of Self, we learned to slow down, to honor our inner world, to make peace with the shadows and stories that shaped us.

And now, as the world begins to stir, so do we.

Spring is not a command; it is an invitation. A slow, deliberate opening. A stretching toward the sun, not in haste, but in deep knowing. This is the shift—from sitting with ourselves to stepping into the world with intention.

The work of liberation has always been both personal and collective. The way we show up in the world—the choices we make, the communities we build, the love we extend—is a reflection of the inner work we have done. Renewal is not just about what we will do next, but about who we are becoming in the process.

The Illusion of Urgency: What Are We Rushing Toward?

Urgency culture tells us we are always behind. It thrives on scarcity—of time, of success, of opportunities—convincing us that if we don’t move right now, we will lose. And so we hurry. We scramble. We say yes before we even know what we are committing to. We fill our days with movement instead of meaning.

But what happens when we stop? When we pull back from the rush and sit in the quiet?

What we often find is fear—the fear that without constant striving, we are nothing. That without momentum, we are invisible. That if we rest, we will be forgotten.

These are the lies urgency culture feeds us. But they are not our truths.

Renewal Begins in the Stillness

Nature understands something we have forgotten: growth is cyclical, not linear.

Spring does not arrive overnight. It does not explode into being simply because winter has passed. There is an in-between—a stretch of transition where roots wake up, where buds form but do not yet bloom.

And we, too, need that space.

The space to breathe before we build.
The space to reflect before we act.
The space to shed the habits, mindsets, and survival strategies that no longer serve us.

This is the true essence of renewal. Not just doing new things, but becoming someone new in the process.

A Moment of Reflection: Are You Ready to Receive?

Before rushing into the “what’s next,” pause. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath.

What parts of yourself are stretching toward the light?
What seeds of intention are stirring within you?
What are you being called to release so you can grow?

The shift from winter to spring is not just about setting new goals—it is about becoming capable of receiving the growth we say we want. We do not simply plant seeds; we cultivate the soil.

And part of that cultivation is unlearning the pressures that keep us from growing freely.

That’s exactly what we’ll explore in this week’s deep dives:

Wednesday, March 5 – Breaking Up with Urgency: How to Cultivate Intentional Growth

• Dismantling the pressure to “fix” yourself & embracing a rhythm of ease.

• How urgency culture tricks us into thinking we are never enough.

• What it means to grow without rushing and heal without performing.

Friday, March 7 – The Shadow of Perfectionism: Why Growth Feels So Hard

• Exploring how supremacy culture keeps us stuck in cycles of self-doubt.

• Why we equate our worth with our productivity—and how to break free.

• How to embrace “messy” growth without self-judgment.

If you’ve been feeling like you’re constantly catching up, like you should be further along, or like you can’t allow yourself to rest—these deep dives are for you.

Setting Intentions with Clarity

So how do we set intentions without falling into urgency?

1. Start with Reflection, Not Action.

• Before you make plans, ask yourself: What do I truly desire? Not what is expected. Not what others want. What calls to my spirit?

2. Embrace the Power of “Enough.”

• You do not have to do everything to be worthy. You do not have to prove your growth through exhaustion. Choose one or two intentions that deeply resonate. Let them be enough.

3. Make Room for Organic Growth.

• Intentions are not deadlines. They are invitations. Instead of rigid timelines, allow for a more intuitive unfolding. Set intentions like planting seeds—tending to them daily, but allowing them to grow in their own time.

4. Unlearn the Habit of Rushing.

• Every time urgency tries to pull you in, pause. Ask yourself: Is this truly urgent, or have I been conditioned to feel that it is? Disrupt the pattern with deep breathing, grounding, or simply choosing to move at your own pace.

5. Honor the Restorative Power of Pause.

• Spring is not only about what is starting, but also about what is being released. Where can you create more space in your life? What obligations, relationships, or thought patterns need to be shed to make room for new growth?

A Ritual for Grounding Your Intentions

Here’s something simple you can do today:

✨ Take a bowl of water (representing fluidity & flow).
✨ Speak your intentions into the water—what you are calling in, what you are letting go of.
✨ Gently pour the water into the earth or a plant pot in your home, symbolizing trust in the process of growth.

🌿 Tend to it as often as you can. As the plant grows, continue to speak your intentions into it. Let it be a mirror for your own unfolding.

🌱 This is your daily reminder that time takes time.

You do not need urgency. You need trust. You are not running out of time. You are exactly where you need to be.

This Season, Let Renewal Be a Reclamation

Let renewal be about returning to yourself. About slowing down enough to hear what your soul is whispering. About recognizing that you are not late, not behind, not racing against an invisible clock—you are exactly where you need to be.

This season, let your growth be intentional, sovereign, and deeply yours.

What intentions are you setting for this season of renewal? Drop them in the comments—I’d love to hear. And if you’re ready to go deeper, join us for the Wednesday & Friday deep dives, where we’ll unravel urgency culture, perfectionism, and step into this new season with clarity, intention, and community.

In solidarity and liberation,
Desireé B. Stephens CPS-P
Educator | Counselor | Community Builder
Founder, Make Shi(f)t Happen