Pedal because you want to

I bought a gravel bike two years ago after some mild swaying.

After relearning how to ride a bike, I began seeking opportunities to ride to new places with a destination in mind—the end of a trail, a coffee shop, a brewery, the top of a mountain, or anywhere else enticing and within my desired distance.

It started as an activity I looked forward to—an opportunity to pedal stress away, get outside, and move my body. It was a moment to reflect (ideas flood my brain outdoors—anyone else?) and observe my surroundings (because you have to, or you could crash).

I could take it fast or slow, stop to eat a snack, and capture a photographic memory (or an actual photo to enjoy again later). I could soak up the sun and breathe in the outdoor air with a smile, knowing nature always had my back.

But slowly, there was a shift.

I’d catch myself pedaling with a destination in mind, glancing at the distance on my watch, calculating how far away I was from it. I stopped enjoying the sounds of rushing water, the leaves dancing in the trees, and the sun on my face. Instead of turning my mind off, it repeated a broken (and annoying) soundtrack: “I can’t wait to get this over with.”

Like that, a bike ride turned into another item on my to-do list, one I couldn’t wait to power through, cross off my list, and move on from.

As someone who has never been a big hobbyist (even as a kid), I wondered if my inability to enjoy an activity without feeling “productive” is a large part of why I never stuck with hobbies.

If I wasn’t productive enough, I wasn’t achieving enough. What a waste of time!

Hustle culture and the incessant desire to tackle my daily life like nothing more than a to-do list slowly stripped bike rides of their joy.

There were even some points over the last couple of years when I’d mutter, “I just don’t enjoy biking! I guess it’s not for me!” (So dramatic.)

Fast-forward to last Sunday. With a sunny forecast, I agreed to dust off my gravel bike and ride with my husband.

I have a newfound awareness of what I want bike rides to feel like (enjoyable, unhurried, pleasant, experiential, not a productive to-do, fun!).

We picked a simple in-and-back canyon trail. Although we had a destination in mind, I refused to let the end goal detract from the process this time.

And unsurprisingly, it was one of the best, most enjoyable bike rides I’ve been on.

We stopped to observe a herd of bighorn sheep. I relished the drastic temperature difference when we moved between chilly mountainous shade and bright, warm sunshine along the trail. I caught so many smiles from strangers and shared a big smile back. And when the wind picked up on the way out of the canyon, I let it simultaneously challenge me and inspire me to feel truly alive and present the six(ish) miles out.

It reminded me of many moments I shared with my grandparents growing up, where they were fully present in what they enjoyed. When my Grammy and Papa would take me out on their fishing boat, we’d spend hours sitting in silence, hoping for a bite. Or when my Grandma and Grandpa would host a game night, we’d spend hours playing board games (always Yahtzee and Aggravation) fully present, without interruptions. (They were really onto something, weren’t they?)

What if we focused less on doing enough, chasing productivity, and seeking accomplishment? What if we stopped thinking about time as something to squeeze more out of and let ourselves enjoy the minutes as they are? What if we didn’t always hurry to the end?

Perhaps we’d invite more intentional moments to find us.

Time Well Spent: Weekly Roundup

1. I frequently share tips and tricks about internal communications (from my pre-freelancing career life) on LinkedIn because I enjoy helping other communicators and genuinely love creating content. I compiled my most helpful LinkedIn posts for internal communicators to centralize my tips and tricks. It was a lot of fun for me, and I’ve heard it was useful for others!

2. On Friday, I woke up much earlier than I wanted to (around 4:45 a.m., to be exact) and couldn’t fall back asleep. So, I turned an undesirable moment into an enjoyable one. I got up, made coffee, and read for a while. It ended up being the highlight of my day.

3. I’m ashamed to admit this (Mom, please ignore this), so consider this a secret between friends. 😂 One of my favorite shirts has had a hole in it for…a while. It wasn’t visible (and I’m not good at sewing), so I let it be. Yesterday, I pulled the shirt out of my closet to wear, but I also dug out my sewing kit and repaired the hole! And it took me less than five minutes.

The Takeaways

• What knowledge or expertise can you share with someone else to help them be more intentional in some aspect of their life? How might you use it to help someone in need?

• Can you turn an unintentional moment into an intentional one with a perspective shift?

• Are you avoiding an intentional act you can tackle in a few minutes? It might make you feel great afterward!

Time Intentional 🕰️ Reader Love 💞

• My sweet friend and Pure Barre teacher, Kelly, returned to our local Pure Barre studio this week to teach her first class after maternity leave. While we caught up, she mentioned she enjoyed last week’s Time Intentional. I feel honored to consume any time in her life while she’s in this busy transition. I am so lucky to know such wonderful people!

I’m Alyssa Towns, and this is Time Intentional, a newsletter exploring what it means to spend our limited (and precious) time intentionally. Only you can decide how to spend your time in a way that feels intentional!

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In addition to writing Time Intentional, I’m a freelance writer and content creator who enjoys partnering with brands to build better workplaces (because we spend a lot of time at work!). Learn more about my areas of specialization on my website!

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