Waking each morning with a joyful heart, excited to begin the day, energized by each activity, is how life is meant to be lived. With so many external expectations, demands and pressures, it's easy for a person to lose sight of their life purpose and what they truly value. Discovering one's passion involves exploring core values and deep desires tucked away in the back of the heart.
Explore Core Values
There are common values such as politeness, honesty and kindness, and then there are core values, unique to each person, such as adventure, creativity, connection, discovery, pleasure, beauty and so on.
What makes these values unique is how each individual expresses them. Adventure may mean exploring in the wilderness to one person, while for another it means traveling to new cities. Beauty may be honored by making fine jewelry or being surrounded by nature. Pleasure could involve any aspect of the senses: scintillating smells, soothing sounds, tender touch or tasty treats.
Explore and honor core values with the following exercises:
- Reflect over the past to see what experiences stand out in a positive way. Notice what core values were being expressed at the time.
- Brainstorm a list of values, then circle the one's that are important to you. Notice which values are being honored in your life right now and which ones are being ignored.
- Make a commitment to honor all important core values, even in a small way, each week. It might mean honoring or expressing one value a day or combining several values together into one activity.
Identify Your Life Purpose
That burning desire to experience, express or do something in life is what defines life purpose. A person's life purpose may change over time. At one time it may be to communicate inspiring messages to as many people as possible. At another time it may be to bring a smile to each person encountered by making them laugh. And yet, at another stage in life it may be to know oneself on a deep soul level.
Identify your current life purpose with the following exercises:
- Reflect over various stages in life to identify the purpose in each stage. What was the main focus in your 20s, 30s and so on?
- Check to see if you're caught in a past-time purpose. If so, there may be uncomfortable feelings associated with it such as frustration, boredom, depression, or sadness. What keeps you stuck in a purpose that doesn't fit anymore? Be willing to let go of any excuses and instead find reasons to find a new purpose.
- Spend 10-15 minutes in a relaxed position, with eyes closed, visioning living a life on purpose. Let your imagination reveal all the possibilities, no matter how wild they may seem. Then explore the essence of that vision to identify your current purpose.
Discover Your Passion in LIfe
To ignite passion, one has to bring their core values and life purpose together. Write down all your important core values as well as all aspects of your current purpose onto one sheet of paper. Notice how they fit together and explore new ways to combine them. For example, if expression and creativity were two main values, and inspiring others was an important purpose, writing a book might be a way to ignite your passion.
Brainstorm as many ways as possible to make your heart sing:
- What values need to be expressed?
- How many different ways can your purpose be fulfilled?
- What makes you feel passionate?
As you explore important core values and identify a current life purpose, your passion will naturally be ignited. Notice what makes your heart sing and take action on it today. Soon you will awaken each morning with a joyful heart, excited and energized to live life to the fullest.
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