| 01 September 2009
What's Your Life Purpose?
Four years ago today, my life changed forever. In one instant, the old life I had worked so hard to create was shattered and the task of rising from the broken rubble and creating a new one lay waiting for me. Curiously, deep feelings of sadness and relief were present in the same moment. Beneath all the chaos and confusion of that time, there was a deep whisper, a silent knowing that I had been working too hard to create a life that wasn't truly mine. I had been struggling to be who I thought others wanted me to be, to win the approval of others, to receive the their acknowledgement and praise. In an ironic twist of fate, not only were the material aspects of my life taken away, but the self-image I worked so desperately to uphold was shattered as well. Even worse, the truth of the situation was distorted and mangled beyond all recognition. Some would say that a lot what happened was unfair and unjust. I say that when you argue with reality, you suffer.
Since then, I've realized that such happenings contain the opportunity to discover who you really are, what core values you want to honor in this life, who you want to be, and what you want to create. Looking back now, I realize that many people get lost in the noise and distraction of life, of too much information wanting their attention, of grasping for things that aren't really important to them, and getting lost in ideas that aren't resonant with who they really are deep inside. Hopefully, it won't take a cataclysmic event to get you to stop and consider the above questions, to consciously design the life you really want and to live into that every day. Worst of all would be to come to the end of your life and realize you didn't live the one you really wanted, the one that was meant for you, your heart and soul's deepest desire.
As daunting as it may seem to explore who you want to be and what you want to create in this life, it's the hero's journey that makes the difference between a life of mere survival or half-hearted existence vs. one that is consciously and courageously created. As the saying on my T-shirt goes, "I do not intend to tip-toe through life only to arrive safely at death." How much are you caught up in survival and existence vs. consciously creating the life you really want? Here's a place to start creating consciously.
What are your three most important goals in life? Are you willing to say them out loud to whomever will listen? Would these change depending upon who you are talking to? How well are you honoring them in your daily life? What are you willing to commit to every day/ every week in order to live what's truly important to you? What's the cost of not doing this?
Skipping over these questions to get to the next thing on your To Do list means that you've chosen one more time to get lost in the doing of your life, one more day of getting sucked up in the chaos of everything vying for your attention. The voice in your head that says, "Yes, but I can't because have to..." is more of the same noise that will keep you from living authentically. When you consciously design your life, when you write down what's most important to you and have a written plan to create that in your life, you begin to shift from being a passive passenger in your life to taking command and designing the life you really want.
I challenge you to schedule time right now in your calendar to write down what you really want for your life and create a written plan to achieve it. Having a partner or life coach to support, encourage, challenge, and hold you accountable will make it a lot easier.
For more help or for a free tool to help you consciously create your ideal life, download the PersonalLifeWheel.pdf document on my website, www.ForemostLeadership.com. The document is on the Free Stuff Page under the Workshops, etc. tab. Past issues of my blog are available under the Blog tab.
Success and Harmony to you.