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Live a Passionate Life on Purpose

Pavillion Princess

I believe that each of us has a definite purpose in our lives.  Some may call it ‘career’, some say ‘vocation’, others call it following your ‘calling’ – doing something that you’re perfectly naturally suited to do and fulfilling your life purpose in being here.  Some people find their way easily and naturally early in their lives and live a passionate life on purpose. Others find their way and make changes years later, or in mid- life. Yet the majority struggle and never figure it all out. With purpose clearly in mind, we are able to confront life’s challenges and move past them, knowing that we have something important to return to. This keeps us centered and strong.

Without vision and purpose in life our daily activities seem meaningless. Our lives become merely an endless succession of challenges to face and they become routine and uninspiring. We may have good intentions but the monotony of the day-to-day, the responsibilities and the “busy-ness” can leave us just trying to survive, much less giving us any margin to thrive. Days turn into weeks and weeks turn into years and if we aren’t careful we can find ourselves living but not being truly alive.

The good news though is that it doesn’t have to be this way.  Continue reading Live a Passionate Life on Purpose

In Pursuit of Happiness or 7 Habits of Happy People

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Happy people: What in the world is their secret?

Are they wired differently? Or are they just luckier than many of us?  2014 was a roller coster ride of experiences, most of which where not that great. I have never been so anxious to see a year pass.  So much so that my intent for 2015 is to be happy.

Whenever I come across a concept that I want to integrate into my life I always start with, what is it?  I look at a number of definitions. I follow-up with research from a variety of sources, including: science, psychology, religion and of course spiritual that provide me a better ability to understand the causes and effects of my topic. Finally, I determine how I can incorporate what I have learned into my life.

So exactly what is being “happy”?  First of all, most of us probably do not think we need a formal definition of happiness; and that we know it when we feel it.  I have learned that happiness is a fuzzy concept and can mean many different things to people.  Research on happiness indicates a number of similar concepts, ideas and theories, including: that it is personal, covers a range of positive and pleasant emotions, it deals with your overall life satisfaction and that it is partially genetic.  The good news is, you have the ability to control how you feel—and with consistent practice, you can form life-long habits for a more satisfying and fulfilling life. The following are the top seven methods shared by most studies.

1. They make exercise a priority.  Exercise has been shown to ease symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, thanks to the the various brain chemicals that are released that amplify feelings of happiness and relaxation. Plus, working out makes us appreciate our bodies more. One study published in the Journal of Health Psychology found that exercise improved how people felt about their bodies — even if they didn’t lose weight or achieve noticeable improvements.  If you don’t have your physical energy in good shape, then your mental energy (your focus), your emotional energy (your feelings), and your spiritual energy (your purpose) will all be negatively affected.

Continue reading In Pursuit of Happiness or 7 Habits of Happy People