Why do you get up in the morning?

(Article repost of  September 2013)

Recently, I have had a number of surprises and changes in my life, which has caused me to ask myself am I living my life with purpose or “Why do I get up in the morning?”  Specialists in the area of finding your life purpose, Richard Leider & David Shapiro indicate that our life purpose is “the spiritual core that helps us find the aliveness in all our day-to-day experiences.”

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.

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. With purpose, our decisions come easier. We make decisions based on what best fits who we are and aligns with purpose. 

Here Is Your Sign

Enjoy!

Freebies & Resources

I have added a new feature to Doon Art, a Freebies & Resources section, at the top of the site.

The place to find free Doon art, also art and graphic design resources.

Enjoy!

In Pursuit of Happiness or 7 Habits of Happy People

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.

Letting Go Of Fear & Getting On With Life

 

Recently, I have been dealing with some fear issues.  Issues that were hindering me from accomplishing my goals (one being lack of funds).  Ordinarily, I try to work through issues by myself, but this was beyond what I could handle.  I explained my situation to a good friend, hoping he would just give me money.  Instead he gave me one of the best motivational speeches.

He gave my own words and beliefs back to me, in his own way.  Something clicked inside of me and realized that is was ok to have fear, just don’t let it stop you.  Within 2 or 3 hours of his speech I was back at it again.  Not only did money begin arriving from different sources, but a couple of new opportunities also seemingly feel in my lap.   I texted my friend later that day and said, “Thank you for not giving me any money because his words were far more valuable.”

Today’s photo is one of my opportunities that popped up.  Here I am this morning on WORT 89.9 radio, with my friend Aaron Perry.

I can not tell you enough how much I enjoy being on the radio, so for me this was fantastic.  Now, one of my new goals is to have my own radio show.

Enjoy

Tai Pavillion 10 Year Anniversary

One of my favorite locations to photograph is the Olbrich Botanical Garden Tai Pavillion.  I was lucky enough to attend their 10 year anniversary of the pavillion. … Enjoy

Carved Cantelopes

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