Intentional Living: The Key to Balancing Big Dreams and Daily Life
Lindsey Dorsten
Regional Operations Director
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
New Albany, Ohio
The year of and
I know many people took on heavy emotional weight this year. 2020 was a year full of many opposites— time taken and time given, gratitude and struggle, strength and weakness, celebration and grief. Fall of 2020, I personally lost two loved ones and introduced our baby girl within a six-week timeframe. The emotional tug-of-war taught me the power of accepting and embracing the “ands” of life.
Intentional living
As a passionate leader, a wife, a friend and a mom of three, I value intentional living. It’s about showing up every day with respect, humility and a desire to learn. It means living my days by being present, listening and being there for other people. By living with intention, I demonstrate through daily action how my vision and goals can become a reality.
Big dreams, meet daily life
Because I’m a big dreamer, I tend to set goals with a long-term view. To manage my daily life, I practice setting my intention for the day in a “5-minute journal.” Journaling helps me connect my short-term actions back to my big-picture goals. When I think about my upcoming day, I decide ahead of time who or what needs my attention the most and start my day with purpose.
Testing my balance
Like many families, I put my usual home and career balancing act to the test this year.
As the pandemic progressed, I saw articles about how the pandemic affected women’s careers. As a woman, I noticed a major shift in the priorities I typically juggle. Fortunately, in my family, my husband has done nothing but support me, many times through little actions that accumulate, giving me time to lean into my goals.
Leaning into what works
Our household would sink without our strongly held principles of teamwork and respect. I believe that my success will fall short without a community of people surrounding and helping me. This belief has been true during the pandemic and in times of adversity throughout my life.
Your career comes at a cost
Starting a family had a tremendous impact on me. Almost “overnight,” I gained a whole new perspective on how I spend my time and choose to live my life. I became particularly aware that our time is a high cost. Time spent towards careers costs time away from family.
My career is therefore deeply embedded in my purpose. I choose to spend my time serving others and helping them become their best selves. I believe my career can be an intentional part of my holistic life.
Leadership is a mirror
Over the course of my career, I’ve learned that leadership is a mirror. The energy, attitude and actions I have as a leader reflects and multiplies within my team. I set the environment for my team to thrive. I aspire for my team to find purpose in their work and to be their best selves. I’m constantly reminding myself of this lesson on the reality of leadership.
Choosing courage over fear
Finding my voice has been a journey of choosing courage over fear. I channel my courage into a growth mindset, where I feel comfortable knowing that even when I get it wrong, I can learn something. I’m grateful to work for a company with strong values, which gives me a solid toolkit to support my courage.
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