Feature Article: 5 Steps to "Living on Purpose"

Despite the constant encouragement I give to my coaching clients to identify and live their life with awareness every moment of each day, I recently realized that I had not fully embraced that concept myself. I had gotten caught up in the "doing" of my work and the concept of what I was building and forgot about the "being" part.  I had the vision and the goals, but had forgotten the living part.  

It is time to let go of the externals, to "walk the walk", and really start consistently living from the inside out.  Living on Purpose. 

We all need to give ourselves permission to live and BE in every moment. To let go of the endless and relentless need to DO and start to give value to each second of our days.  Have you been spending your life in the future or past and missing the wonders of "today"? Are you ready to begin to "live on purpose" - right here, right now?

5 STEPS TO "LIVING ON PURPOSE"

STEP 1  Develop Awareness

Step 1 is simply about noticing. Notice how you are showing up. Each day, in each conversation, in everything  you do. No judgement. Simply notice. Are you 100% present and aware in each moment or are you living one thing physically, but are mentally somewhere else? Are you living in the future? The past?  How authentically are you living? Step 1 is simply to notice and to be aware.

STEP 2  Get Intentional

When you wake up in the morning, spend 3 extra minutes in bed with your eyes closed thinking about what your intention will be for that day.  How will you show up that day?  Who will you be?  What will you bring to the world that day? Experiment with holding one single intention as you go through the day.  For example, your daily intention might be something like  "Today I am going to live abundance" or "Today I am going to have fun".  Hold that intention and as you go about each activity in your day, think about making each moment intentional.  How would you show up at the office if your intention for that day was "Today I am going to have fun"?

STEP 3 Stay Present

The point of power is in the present moment and that's a great place to start. Get present. Right now. Wherever you are, sit, close your eyes, and breathe. Take some deep belly breaths, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Focus only on the breathing.  Oprah said "our breath is our anchor, the gift we've all been given to center ourselves in this very moment."  Where do you want to be?  How about choosing "right here, right now"? That is the only place we have any control of in our lives.  The future is now.  The control has to do with how we choose to BE, not what we choose to DO. Being precedes doing. Re-center yourself with your breathing at any point in the day when you find yourself wandering.  

STEP 4  Treasure the Journey

In her book, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, writer Anne Lamott  compares writing a first draft to watching a Polaroid develop.  I thought the quote applied nicely to life so I slightly paraphrased it.  "Life is very much like watching a Polaroid develop. You can't - and, in fact, you are not supposed to - know exactly what the picture is going to look like until it has finished developing."

So for Pete's sake, stop focusing on the finished product! Instead, spend your time and energy watching and living your life as it develops. Look at the colors of each day, live the magic or the despair of each moment  - treasure the journey.

STEP 5  Develop a Gratitude Attitude 

Noticing and being consciously thankful in the moment for the things that you see, the conversations you have, and the people in your life will help keep you living on purpose. Developing a gratitude attitude will add a level of awareness to each moment that will help you slow down and stay present.  Experiment with doing a nightly "Gratitude Sign-off" where you spend 3 minutes just before you fall asleep writing down what happened or what you noticed that day for which you are grateful. What stood out for you today? Did you notice the amazing fall colors of the leaves?  Did you have a laugh with a friend? Did you drink a really great tasting cup of coffee? Ending your day with a nightly gratitude sign-off will help kick-start your next day to one of purpose.