The clock is ticking — are you playing?

I looked down at my gloves and rocked back and forth on my feet. When I lifted my head, the stadium lit up with a warm orange glow—deep breath in, deep breath out.

Fans stomped their feet, raised their voices, and banged on the backs of their stadium seats. Inevitably, I held my breath (on more than one occasion). With just under a minute left in the game, the Buffalo Bills relentlessly shoved their way downfield, attempting to beat the Denver Broncos in the divisional round.

With seconds to go, Josh Allen launched toward the end zone, coming up short with three incompletions. Matt Prater lined up for a 50-yard game-tying field goal. I clenched my teeth as my heart rate spiked. And then I held my breath and considered closing my eyes. And the silence of 76,000+ fans told me everything I needed to know — the end was near, but we hadn’t met it yet.

The Denver Broncos took the opening kickoff of overtime. The crowd roared with hope and enthusiasm, but Buffalo forced Denver to punt before long. A rollercoaster of emotional highs and lows swept through the stadium. Belief and fear coexisted. Excitement and disappointment arrived in tandem.

The Buffalo Bills played their hearts out. I screamed my lungs out. And just when we thought closing time was upon us, Ja’Quan McMillian intercepted the ball (sparking controversy), giving the Denver Broncos another shot.

The Broncos wanted to reach field goal range. I wanted to rest my vocal cords, find some water, and decompress in the silence of my home after an emotionally exhausting yet fully present few hours (after a win, of course).

Bo Nix moved the ball downfield. I don’t recall most of the details. And then, the Broncos reached field goal range. There are moments when time stands still, and this was one of them. Will Lutz’s 23-yard field goal secured the overtime win and a spot in the AFC Championship.

I jumped up and down and shot my hands up to give and receive high-fives. We cheered until our voices nearly disappeared. People looked at each other as if to say, “Did you just see what I saw?! We did it!” because, despite believing our eyes, sometimes the outcome of a story, no matter how much you want it, feels unbelievable.

Now, there’s undoubtedly much to cover here around spending time well, from football fandom driving social cohesion to engrossing oneself with what’s directly in front of them and being present. (Doesn’t studying sports fans sound fun?)

But I can’t stop thinking about how in overtime, teams can’t run out the clock. They have to play to win before the final whistle blows. Overtime demands intention. Aggression. Belief. Bravery. Playing in overtime looks a lot like living your life intentionally.

Too many of us wake up every day and try to run out the clock. Our comfort zones box us in, while our routines help us “get through each day” to reach the “more enjoyable” ones more quickly.

But in overtime, there’s no scoreboard advantage to protect. There are no future quarters to plan for and hide in. And certainly no time for plays that leave the team saying, “Let’s just get through this one.”

In overtime, players have to:

• Take intentional steps to move the ball downfield, one play at a time

• Lean into knowing that failure is a potential outcome, but so is regretting not trying

• Take bold, brave action, despite time feeling thin

In overtime (and life), the goal is not to run out the clock. You win by choosing to go for it while the clock is still ticking by pausing and reflecting on what steps you need to take to make progress. By acknowledging that not all outcomes are positive, but that doesn’t make them any less significant. And by uncovering your bravest, boldest self as the clock ticks. Maybe we have something to learn from football after all.

😇 I wish my Broncos-loving grandparents, Janet and Dale, were here to see that ending. I know my grandma would love reading this issue, too.

Time well spent: weekly roundup

• Maybe it’s because I’m fresh off of reading The Correspondent by Virginia Evans* (recommended to me by Time Intentional reader, Rachel, who received the recommendation to read it from Time Intentional reader, Kara — I love trains like this!), but I am hot on replying to emails right now and starting correspondence. I’m sending thank-you notes, “I loved this” messages, asking questions, and sending recommendations. This is how we stay connected in a disconnected world.

• One of my Pure Barre teachers, Alexa, lost her sister, Waleska, in December 2020. Alexa, her mother, and her sister created a therapeutic coloring book, the heART book, inspired by Waleska’s story. If you want to support a heartfelt, legacy-centric project, please check it out.

Your next intentional move

• What role does intentional correspondence play in nurturing your relationships?

• How can supporting others’ healing work become part of your own intentional living?

Check out the full list of intentional prompts and share it with someone you love!

With gratitude

Thank you to everyone who has supported me on Buy Me a Coffee, clicked on an ad, or used my affiliate links! Your support funds my beehiiv subscription, Time Intentional merch (like the sticker pack), and giveaway prizes. It also motivates me to keep going (and I grab a coffee or matcha here and there to fuel my writing sessions!).

• A special thank you to Alyssa W. for supporting me on Buy Me a Coffee last week!

• Thank you to my internet friend, Daniel K., for supporting Time Intentional on LinkedIn. (By the way, Dan is an author! He wrote The Perfect Home* — read my review — and has another book coming out later this year, Don’t Look Away*.)

I’m Alyssa Towns, and this is Time Intentional, a newsletter exploring what it means to spend our limited (and precious) time intentionally. Extend your love and support by sharing this newsletter with someone you know, or buy me a coffee! ☕

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