A Life Well Lived

The years fly by very fast. Or at least it seems so...as our lives are filled to the brim with activities. After family responsibilities, work obligations, and household chores, most of us have little downtime. Amidst our harried lives, we rarely take a moment to step back and think about the "big picture."

To get out of that mindset, here are some questions you may want to consider. Are you operating on autopilot? Do you have purpose and meaning in your life? What do you feel you were put on this planet to accomplish? If you had just a few more years to live, what would bubble up to the top of your priority list?

Deep-thinking highly sensitive people have the unique ability to explore these questions on a profound and powerful level. Do you tap into this natural resource? If so, do you take it a step further to ensure that you are living your happiest and most productive life?
 
While some of us can imagine the life we'd like to have, we often fall short in both the faith and the persistence needed to truly realize our passions. As a source of inspiration, it can be helpful to look at examples of people who are living their lives "on purpose."

Jack LaLanne, the health and exercise pioneer who passed away recently at the age of 96, is a perfect example of a person who lived an authentic life. Even though his ideas were often rejected by the mainstream, he held true to his beliefs from the beginning and moved forward with faith, passion, and purpose.

LaLanne was a sugar and junk food addict as a child. He suffered from headaches and bulimia, had a violent temper, and dropped out of school at age 14. The turning point occurred when he attended a lecture by pioneer nutritionist Paul Bragg. The young LaLanne was profoundly influenced by Bragg's message and began to do extensive research on nutrition and exercise. The more he learned, the more interested he became in the topic.

LaLanne's enthusiasm for health and fitness came long before the trend became popular. Despite being ridiculed and called a "nutrition nut", he knew that he felt better, and he worked hard to build a body that was full of strength and endurance. Through passion and a determination to help others, he opened a health spa in 1936, at the age of 21. Doctors, however, advised their patients to stay away from his health club, a business unheard of at the time, warning them that LaLanne's exercise routines could cause severe medical problems.

Nonetheless, LaLanne soldiered on and devoted his life to providing fitness products and services to help people feel and look their best. Over the years, he published books and videos, invented a number of exercise machines, hosted a fitness TV show, marketed nutrition products, and started a chain of health clubs.

LaLanne offered encouragement and hope that anyone could maintain a healthy lifestyle, regardless of age or physical limitations. He was always thinking of others and seeing the best in them. Often called the "fitness superhero", LaLanne had a significant and positive impact on many lives throughout his 70+ years in the business.

Although most of us probably won't do things on the same scale that Jack LaLanne did, we can learn a lot from his well-lived life. When LaLanne felt a powerful passion stir in him, he paid attention and did what he could to explore and learn about his interests. He developed the skills he needed and used those skills to serve and inspire others. In the face of challenge and controversy, he persisted and chose to see possibilities where others saw limitations. Not only did he believe in himself, but also fully understood the power of the mind.

Are there ways you could apply his philosophies to your life? Do you allow your thoughts to limit you? Are you willing to break out of your comfort zone? What activity, information, or people can you seek out to provide the springboard for your upward turning point? It's never too late to change your direction and live the life you have imagined.

Think Different