Stop Living on Autopilot: Design a Year of Intention

The start of a new year is always a chance to pause and reflect: are you living intentionally, or are your routines carrying you along on autopilot? And if part of that reflection has included the thought maybe I’ve left it too late, I want you to know that feeling is common, but it doesn’t mean it’s true.

During perimenopause, you may notice changes in energy, resilience, and motivation. These changes make intentional goal-setting even more valuable, which is why we want to introduce you to Misogi.

Misogi is a Japanese-inspired concept that involves setting one meaningful, year-defining challenge. It’s not about perfection, but it’s about confronting your limits, testing yourself, and creating a lasting impact that resonates across the rest of the year.

What Is Misogi?

Traditionally, Misogi is a Shinto purification ritual involving physical and mental endurance, like standing under waterfalls or other strenuous exercises. In modern life, it’s been adapted as a personal, meaningful challenge designed to push you far outside your comfort zone.

The key features of Misogi:

• One defining goal per year: ambitious enough to stretch both your abilities and mindset

• Significant challenge: a goal where success feels uncertain, often around a 50/50 chance

• Transformational impact: completing it builds resilience, confidence, and self-awareness that carries into every other area of your life

Examples of Misogi challenges include:

• Physical feats: marathon, ultra-marathon, climbing a peak, long-distance swim

• Mental or creative challenges: launching a business, writing a book, leading a project

• Personal growth: undertaking a retreat, public speaking, or learning a difficult skill

The purpose isn’t risk for the sake of it. It’s about reminding yourself that growth doesn’t stop just because life is busy or your body feels different than it used to.

Why Misogi Matters Now

Even if your routines and micro-habits are strong, it’s easy to fall into autopilot: the same workouts, the same meals, the same habits. Misogi interrupts that pattern by helping you:

• Step out of your comfort zone: physically, mentally, and emotionally

• Build resilience: giving you the confidence to endure, adapt, and overcome

• Create a memorable year: one defining moment that shapes the rest of your year

By taking on a Misogi challenge, you can also support your energy, mental clarity, and overall wellbeing, complementing the micro-habits and routines you’ve already built. 

How to Integrate Misogi With Your Habits

You don’t have to abandon what’s working! Your current habits are what will help you succeed. Misogi is about stretching yourself while staying grounded in sustainable routines.

1. Choose a Challenge That Truly Stretches You
Pick a goal that excites and scares you at the same time. Some ideas:

• Physical: marathon, ultra-marathon, climbing a peak, long-distance swim

• Mental/creative: launching a business, writing a book, leading a project

• Personal growth: retreat, public speaking, or learning a difficult skill

Tip: Choose one goal that, if achieved, would define your year, such as your “anchor” for the next 12 months.

2. Break It Down Into Manageable Steps
An extreme challenge doesn’t have to feel overwhelming if you structure it:

• Identify milestones and checkpoints leading up to your goal

• Schedule weekly or monthly reflection points to track progress

• Pair preparation with your existing micro-habits, our routines are your support system, not a distraction

Example: If your Misogi is running an ultra-marathon:

• Week 1-4: Build a base mileage habit

• Month 2-3: Introduce long runs and recovery strategies

• Month 4-6: Focus on endurance, mental resilience, and nutrition strategies

3. Integrate Micro-habits for Support
Your microhabits are the foundation that allows you to pursue extreme goals sustainably:

• Nutrition: consistent protein intake, plant diversity, hydration, and balanced meals

• Movement: progressive, goal-specific training

• Recovery: sleep, stretching, mindfulness, and stress management

Tip: Adding micro-habits gradually is often more sustainable than trying to do everything at once. You could consider focusing on one habit a week or even really focusing on one habit per quarter. The goal is choosing whatever keeps progress achievable without burning out!

4. Reflect and Adjust Along the Way
Misogi isn’t just about finishing, but rather it’s about self-discovery, resilience, and growth. Ask yourself:

• What’s working in my preparation?

• Where am I stretching too far or risking burnout?

• What am I learning about my limits, capabilities, and resilience?

Reflection ensures your challenge is transformational, not just physically or mentally taxing.

5. Celebrate Completion and Carry the Momentum
Once you complete your Misogi, take time to reflect on how it reshaped your capabilities and mindset. Use this momentum to:

• Strengthen the sustainable habits you’ve built along the way

• Approach the rest of your year with confidence and intentionality

• Apply lessons learned to new goals, challenges, and routines

A Final Word

Your Misogi is the defining event of your year, but it’s the combination of preparation, supportive habits, and reflection that makes it transformational.If you’ve been feeling like time is moving faster and your window for change is closing, this is your reminder: it isn’t. By designing one extreme or mindful challenge and approaching it thoughtfully, you set the tone for the other 364 days: a year that’s courageous, purposeful, and genuinely memorable.