I write and talk about purpose and dharma often – I love big picture stuff. My business brain naturally gravitates toward strategic thinking and long-term planning, but I’ve been exploring the idea of identifying micro-meaning each day, and giving myself permission to prioritize the present moment over future plans.

The tension: big vision vs. today

Now, this can be a tricky experiment, because if we aren’t conscious of it, this can show up in our lives as procrastination and general short-sighted decision-making that can easily have negative consequences on our lives. And honestly, I’ve questioned whether I’m procrastinating or resisting something I ought to do versus gaining a clear benefit from living in the present moment.

The pattern: where momentum drops off

Here’s what’s happening each time I toe the line to start a new thing:

• I get excited, experience a felt sense of clarity, and am highly motivated.
• I start mapping out my plans.
• As I see it documented, I get even more enthused about the potential of my big idea.
• And then, I experience this sharp drop off in clarity and motivation when I start trying to execute the plan.
• It feels like the plan becomes too big to see where I ought to take the first bite.
• Then, I zoom back and can see how this plan requires something of me that I’m not willing to give, and I stall out.

The real friction: the kind of work I don’t want

For example, building an online, qigong-infused business that allows me to serve and teach high-achievers in career transitions anywhere in the world excites me, but to connect with my target audience online, I have to create content. Videos, photos, posts and captions. Success requires building landing pages, writing marketing copy, and creating lead magnets.

For my YouTube channel, I had to learn to edit videos. I also needed to learn how to use my DJI Osmo Action 6 camera and new apps and software. I am learning how to create engaging thumbnails and write search optimized titles and descriptions. Plus, I ran into issues regarding managing storage of large files that strain my computer’s battery and performance.

And the unfortunate reality is that I spend a lot more time on these things than the actual act of teaching and writing. (And that’s even with some assistance from AI tools.)

I keep stalling out on the starting line because I realize I don’t want to be a content creator. I want to be an artist, writer, and qigong teacher. When the path to ‘the big thing’ is mostly work I don’t want, I start hunting for a different kind of guidance.

Ikki no mei: one small reason to live one more day

Which brings me back to this idea of micro-meaning. For me, micro-meaning is a small, specific act that restores my sense of aliveness and direction today. It’s not an excuse to avoid the hard thing, it’s a way to stay connected to what’s real while I’m figuring out the next right step.

I saw an Instagram caption that shared how in Japan, there is a rule called “ikki no mei” which translates to “one small reason to live one more day.”

As the author put it,

“meaning is not in scale, it’s in specificity.”

Structure creates meaning (especially in liminal seasons)

This resonated hard for me. The post shared that daily rituals create structure, and with structure, we feel a sense of purpose. This is exactly what my 100 Liminal Days project taught me – when we are in a liminal space, it feels like time collapses. And with time collapsed, our sense of purpose evades us, too. But we can restore our sense of time and purpose simply by committing to daily practices.

A smaller, truer next step

I have a lot of larger-than-this-life plans for myself, but something keeps telling me to wait a little longer in this liminal before launching something big. It isn’t telling me to stop creating – it is inviting me to look for micro-meaning today.

I’ve also reminded myself that during my last journal lookback (I’m overdue for another one!), I noticed recurring comments about a desire to serve my physical community, right here in my neighborhood. This has been important to me and I’ve actually met more neighbors over the last few months – even one who was interested in qigong! So, micro-meaning for me at the moment includes connection and service to those right here in my neighborhood.

With that in mind, I’ve decided to host a free qigong practice in the park near my house. This is a small single step, not a grandiose, strategic launch. And that feels right for now.

I’ve also added a field to my Mindful Rhythms Habit Tracker to start naming the person(s) I aim to serve each day. This will help me stay conscious of my intention to find micro-meaning through connection with others.

A question for you

How about you? How do you hold that tension between living in the present and planning for your future? What’s your ‘one small reason’ today?

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