Have you ever looked at your life and thought, “Is this it?” You’ve checked all the boxes – the job, the house, maybe even the white picket fence – but something’s missing. That nagging feeling in the pit of your stomach whispers, “There’s got to be more than this.” If you’re nodding along, you’re not alone. Many of us find ourselves at this crossroads, realizing that merely existing isn’t enough. It’s time to shift gears from surviving to thriving.

The Trap of the Default Life

We’ve all heard the script: get the job, buy the house, start a family. It’s the recipe for success we’ve been fed since childhood. But what happens when you achieve all that and still feel empty inside?

Craig Bennett, one half of the dynamic duo behind Road of Life Coaching, captured this sentiment perfectly:

“I did the 9 to 5, I did the 401k, all that great. And I started doing life. We had a house, we had the dog, we had all the things you’re supposed to do. And then we were just doing life. And like, as we were doing it, I always thought this feels stupid.” – Rob Bailey

Sound familiar? That’s because for many of us, there’s more to life than just checking boxes. We’re built for purpose, for growth, for impact. So how do we bridge the gap between existing and truly thriving?

The Foundation: Your Relationship with Yourself

Before we can even think about thriving in our relationships or careers, having Intentional Marriages, we need to address the most fundamental relationship in our lives – the one we have with ourselves. Meredith Bennett emphasizes:

“The relationship with yourself is the fundamental relationship in your life. It’s the only one you have from the day you’re born till the day you die. It’s the one that every other relationship is built on.”

If you don’t believe you’re worthy of love, success, or happiness, you’ll subconsciously sabotage every opportunity that comes your way. You’ll seek out relationships that confirm your low self-worth or push away those who treat you better than you believe you deserve.

Intentional Marriages: Building a 200% Marriage

Once you’ve established a solid relationship with yourself, it’s time to focus on your most important partnership – your marriage. Forget the notion of a 50/50 split. Craig and Meredith advocate for what they call a “200% marriage.”

In this model, both partners take 100% responsibility for the relationship. It’s not about keeping score or waiting for the other person to make the first move. It’s about each person giving their all, every single day.

As Craig explains, “If an apology needs to be made, you just step up and you make it. If something needs to be done around the house, you just step up and you just do it.”

This approach eliminates resentment and score-keeping, creating a foundation of mutual respect and shared responsibility.

The Power of Intentional Fun

In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it’s easy to let fun fall by the wayside. But Craig and Meredith stress the importance of intentional fun in keeping your relationship strong. They call it “finding fun in the fundane” – those everyday moments that we often overlook. This is an often  overlooked aspect of Intentional Marriages

It could be as simple as:

• Having a quick dance-off while cooking dinner
• Playing a short game of Yahtzee before bed
• Hiding silly objects for your partner to find later

The Three-Step Relationship Reboot

Ready to take your relationship from surviving to thriving? Here’s a simple three-step plan to get you started:

• Schedule intentional time together: It doesn’t have to be a fancy date night. Even a shared cup of coffee in the morning, without phones or distractions, can make a difference.
• Have meaningful check-in conversations: Instead of the generic “How was your day?”, ask specific questions like “What was the best part of your day?” or “What are you most looking forward to tomorrow?”
• Dream together: Discuss your shared goals and aspirations. Having a common vision gives you something to work towards as a team and helps put daily frustrations into perspective.

Intentional Marriages: The Cheat Code to Leveling Up Your Life

The secret to thriving isn’t found in grand gestures or drastic life changes. For Intentional Marriages It’s in the small, consistent actions we take every day. It’s in the way we treat ourselves, our partners, and the world around us.

As you embark on this journey from surviving to thriving, remember that it’s not about perfection. It’s about progress. It’s about waking up each day with the intention to be a little better, to love a little deeper, and to live a little fuller than the day before.

You have everything you need to start this journey right now. The world needs the man you’re capable of becoming, and more importantly, you need to become that man.

So, are you ready to move beyond just existing? To stop watching life pass you by and start actively participating in it? The choice is yours. Your best life is waiting. Let’s get after it, gentlemen. It’s time to thrive.

Life Amplified: 45 Cheat Codes for Intentional Living that I wish I knew at 25