The Most Important Thing You Can Do

I absolutely love when a life lesson jumps out at me during the day.  It’s like a little surprise; a gift that makes you stop in your tracks and brings you into the present-moment.  What sparks that moment is different for each of us…it could be a sight, sound, phrase, or smell that resonates with us and tugs at our soul.

I was lucky enough to receive one of these gifts a while back when I was watching an interview of Sherri Shepherd.  I was surprised to hear that she actually started out her career-life as a paralegal (yeah, took me by surprise, too!).  She shared how while in that career she felt stressed and unfulfilled, but didn’t really feel motivated enough to make a change. 

Then one day she receive that surprise “gift” I referenced above.  It came in the form of a story about a woman who was dying of stage 4 cancer.  The woman was being interviewed on Oprah and she shared that death is really the only thing that’s guaranteed, but how we live life is the most important thing we can do.  Sherri heard this and was moved at the thought.  We only live this one life; why would we choose not to live our dream life?

Sherri quit her job and pursued acting and stand-up comedy full-time.  

I love stories like that; a few simple words lead to an inspired moment and a leap of faith.  It’s fairly simple, yet not so easy to do.  We know we always have a choice…so why wouldn’t we choose to live our dreams?  Why would we wish for something other than our deepest passion?  Why wouldn’t we try with every ounce of our soul to make this life the life we want?

There’s no lack of excuses, but they all lead to the same regrets.  You know what you must do…It’s time for you to finally take that leap of faith; or at least a tiny step in its direction.

Becky,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:“You have exactly one life in which to do everything you'll ever do. Act accordingly.” ~Colin Wright

Passion and Purpose: Isn’t There an Easier Way?

In this day of instant everything, so many are seeking a quick way to do, be and have it “now”.  As an organization that helps women find their passions and live life on purpose, we’ve heard it all…Isn’t there a book I can read?  Can I find it on Google?  Don’t they have an assessment for that?

Your passions and your divine assignment for living aren’t something you can learn in a book or find in an internet search, although clues can be found there.  Truly living “on purpose” is a process that requires commitment, self-reflection and determination.  You might even say that when it comes to passion and purpose, living your passion is equally important to finding it.  That adage, “it’s not just the destination, it’s the journey,” definitely applies.

You can’t wait for your passions to reveal themselves to you, or for your life purpose to knock on the door; it’s referred to “pursuing your passion” for a reason.   You have to get out there and try new things, experience different adventures, meet new people, and become aware of new causes, for every aspect of your uniqueness to come together in just the right way.  While this might sound complicated, it doesn’t have to be; with the right perspective, getting there is most of the fun!

It does take creativity though, and dedication.  It’s much easier to let the day-to-day lead you through life.  So, where does one find the inspiration to try new things on the journey to passionate, empowered and purposeful living?

The first place we recommend is your “bucket list”.  Soulspring Groups’ members have several pages in their Soulspring Journal which are dedicated to creating a list of things they want to do before they die (101 to be exact).  We’ve heard of women dedicating themselves to knocking one thing off their list every week!  That’s a pretty aggressive goal, but imagine the thrill!

Another great source can be found on Soulspring Groups’ Facebook page.  Each Friday on Facebook is Springboard Friday; a day where we post a simple activity to carry out (or plan for in the future).  We’ve provided the planning tools, too!  Followers of our page can download them via or Empowerment & Fun tab.

Past activities have included learning CPR.  It’s a skill we all should know and there’s a sense of security that comes with being prepared for an emergency.  Perhaps taking a CPR class could uncover a passion for emergency response?

We also suggested becoming more aware of the nighttime skies.  Learning about the stars is not only fun and interesting; a focus skyward gives us a sense of the greatness around us.  Perhaps being able to identify the constellations would inspire a passion for astrology, or spark a passion in your child for science and space?

Debating on where to go on your summer vacation?  One recent Springboard Friday post suggested throwing a dart at a map and traveling to that destination.  The map could be of your country or state, or even a local map that’s closer to home.  Who knows what you might stumble upon on your adventure…a new company or business you didn’t know existed, a historical site, a remote piece of nature…Each could be a doorway to a new purpose or passion for your life.

It’s time to stop your search for the easy way to discover your passions and the quickest route to your life purpose.  Instead put more attention on what is revealed to you along the way...Take some time to get lost and you might just find yourself.  The lessons, excitement and connections you make on your journey through life will reveal your purpose in due time…that is, if you’re willing to get your hands dirty and start really living.  You can get started right now by making a point to stop by Soulspring Groups’ page on Facebook this Friday for a new passion quest assignment you can get on the calendar for next weekend.

The Soul Sisters

Soulspiration of the Week:“I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth will I apply ALL my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy.” ~Og Mandino

Living An Empowered Life Requires Asking the Right Questions

Last week’s post referenced an article entitled, “How Far Has Your Bottle Gone?”  Written by Ernest R. Stair, the article tells of a man who put a note in a bottle, asking whoever finds it to send him a letter revealing its destination.  He seals it up and tosses it in the ocean, imagining all the exotic places his bottle would go and all the adventures it would have.  He lived in anticipation, excited to see where the bottle would eventually be found. 

Forty-five years later, he received a note that the bottle had been found...mere yards from the spot where it has originally been thrown it in.

Are there goals in your life that haven’t quite gone the distance?  For most, it’s common to feel disappointment from not accomplishing the great endeavors you dreamed of as a child.  We have hopes of changing the world, traveling to every corner of the globe, being top-dog in our career, saving helpless orphans.  And, when we hit mid-life and haven’t achieved all we set out to do, we feel as though we’ve failed. 

It's an issue many Soulspring Groups members are quite familiar, and if these feelings are common to you, too, then perhaps it’s time to change your way of thinking.  Instead of asking yourself...

• How much money do I make?
• How many square feet does my house contain?
• How will my job title sound at a high school reunion?
• How many people report to me?
• How many walls are needed to display my degrees, awards, honors, trophies and tributes?

What if you asked yourself...

• How many times did I refuse to quit?
• How many times did I learn from my mistakes?
• How many times did I make a comeback?
• How many times did I let somebody else have all the glory?
• How many times did I take criticism gracefully?
• How many times did I make someone’s day?

Notice how the first line of questioning has one thing in common; measuring your level of achievement based on other people’s opinions.  The latter set of questions inspires deeper answers.  Instead of basing our accomplishments on the size of your paycheck or the fancy options in your car, these are the true test of real achievement.  They show what is deep down inside, and that’s what matters most.

Becky,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:
“It has been said, ‘Accomplishment is socially judged by ill defined criteria so that one has to rely on others to find out how one is doing.’  It is our job to rise above it!” ~ Albert Bandura

Soul Searching Question: How Far Has Your Bottle Gone?

January marks the beginning of the New Year; that means it’s time for a life review.  Have you accomplished everything you thought you would in the past year?  Are you at the exact point in life you thought you would be?  If your answer is a disappointing “no”, and you suddenly feel a sense of failure sneaking in, wait... 

A Soulspring Groups member shared a wonderful article with us last week, “How Far Has Your Bottle Gone?” from the January 2012 issue of Toastmaster’s magazine.  In the article, author Ernest R. Stair writes about a man who put a note in a bottle.  The note requested that whoever found the bottle send him a letter revealing its destination.  He sealed the note in the bottle, tossed it in the ocean and began to imagine all the exotic places the bottle would go and adventures it would have.  He waited anxiously for word that the bottle had been found; excited to see where it would eventually turn up. 

Forty-five years later, his bottle was found, and he received a note from the finding party.  The bottle was found only several hundred yards from the spot where he had originally thrown it.  What a let-down...a great, big, giant failure; or was it?

While the bottle was found close to its origination there’s nothing to say that it didn’t travel the world before it came back.  Perhaps the bottle thrower was correct, and it traveled to every exotic corner of the world, saw great vistas, and met many hands that threw it back into the water.

Or, maybe the bottle did only travel a few hundred feet before coming back to shore, and spent the remaining 45 years right there on the rocky coast.  Imagine the sights of awe it must have experienced; the sunsets, the sunrises, the family outings, the fishing, the ships, the vacationers, the wildlife.

When taking stock of your life’s accomplishments, it’s inevitable to feel like you’ve had some disappointments.  Do your grandiose ideas of travel, adventure, and changing the world seem a little more out of grasp these days?  If so, perhaps you’re measuring the wrong thing.  Instead of measuring your accomplishments by the final goal, what if you took stock of everything that has happened along the way?  Isn’t that what’s really important anyway?

Becky,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:
“You get whatever accomplishment you are willing to declare.” ~Georgia O'Keeffe

Lost on the Journey of Life: Soul Searching Questions to Discover Your Life Purpose

If you’ve ever found yourself lost, then you know the anxiety and fear that comes with not knowing your way. Regardless of whether you’re lost on the highway or lost in life, the feelings are quite similar.  Imagine yourself on a random road.  Of course you’ll end up somewhere eventually, but the question is, will you end up where you want to be?

The same is true for our lives.  We can live without direction, and eventually we’ll come to the end of our lives, but will we enjoy the way there?  Will we have taken the right route?  Will have seen the sites we were meant to see?  While we can’t possibly map out every twist and turn in our lives, knowing we’re headed in the right direction eliminates anxiety, worry and fear, and allows us to enjoy the journey.

Your true "purpose" resides in your soul and to discover yours you need not only intellectual contemplation but a connection with your intuitive self as well. Prayer, meditation and journal writing are only a few of the many techniques you can use to get in touch with your true you.

And, these Soul-Searching Questions will also help.  While initially the answers will come from your head, once you begin to open up to the process the answers will begin to come from your heart.  When acting on the messages from within, you can't go wrong!

• As a child, what did I dream of being when I grew up?
• What were my favorite pastimes as a child?
• What activities give me the most joy?  Why?
• What people do I most admire?  What qualities do I most admire about them?
• What things come naturally to me?
• If “no” wasn’t an option, and I could have, do or be anything, what would that be?
• When I think of my favorite books, movies, television shows, etc., which are my favorites? What common themes run through their plots?

The questions above provide enough fodder for several hours of reflection.  As you work the process and re-read your previous answers and entries, more ideas and thoughts will come to mind.  Feel free to edit your answers.  As a final step, read through your thoughts and underline or highlight key words and phrases that trigger an emotional response, and watch for the clues that lead you in the right direction and closer to the mission for your life.

The Soul Sisters

Soulspiration of the Week:
“Each person has an ideal, a hope, a dream which represents the soul.  We must give to it the warmth of love, the light of understanding and the essence of encouragement.” ~Colby Dorr Dam

The Happiness Secret You’ve Been Longing For

Have you ever wanted to understand the secret to living a truly happy, empowered, and high-quality life?  Well today we reveal the secret...

The Secret: Happiness and empowerment are not always achieved by doing more; happiness is sometimes more about what you remove from life than what you add to it.  

How can this be?  Wouldn’t it stand to reason that a full life (doing, accomplishing, and getting stuff done) would also be a fulfilling one?  Well, not always.

Doing what you feel truly passionate about and eliminating what you do out of perceived obligation or guilt, is the key to living your best life.  It's by recognizing where you can get the most reward from your efforts, and how you and those most important to you benefit, do you allow yourself permission to give your time and attention to those areas.

So how can you make sure you’re giving your time to the right stuff?  Try this simple exercise:

Pull out your to-do list (if it’s currently in your head, get your to-dos down on paper for the purposes of this exercise). For each item on the list ask yourself the following questions:

Why is this task important?
Why is this task MY responsibility (in other words, why are YOU doing this task)?
Where does this task fit within MY priorities?
What is the worst thing that would happen if the task does not get done?

For example, if one of the items on your task list is to clean the cat’s litter box, the importance of the task would depend on how important your cat is to your life.  If the cat is your daughter’s, you may be coming to the realization that your daughter might be the better candidate for the job, and that the cleanliness of the cat box isn’t a high priority task for you at all.  You’re realizing you assumed the position of litter box cleaner several years ago, when the cat was given to your daughter as a kitten.  She was too young to care for the cat at the time, but now is quite capable.  Passing on the honor to your daughter is sounding pretty good right now, however the little voice inside argues that it’s easier for you to clean the litter box and takes less time and effort than the nagging that would be required to get your daughter to do it.

Well, that may be the case initially, however it’s now clear that you’re doing the task out of obligation, denying your daughter this important lesson in responsibility, and feeling very under-appreciated in the process; clearly not a recipe for happiness or empowerment for either of you.

While the above example may seem trivial, believe me, we’ve heard sillier reasons why there’s no time to work toward an important dream or goal.  And since when is cleaning the litter box more important than your life purpose?

It’s time to challenge your obligations and priorities.  While we’re not advocating that you dump all the dirty and menial chores on the spouse and kids, we are challenging you to question where and what gets your time and attention.  What you may discover is that you’ve been giving top status to things that are unimportant and not your priority at all.  Delegate, dump, divide or work out some deal, so  you can have time for what’s really important to you.

The Soul Sisters

Soulspiration of the Week:
“A simple life is not seeing how little we can get by with—that’s poverty—but how efficiently we can put first things first. . . . When you’re clear about your purpose and your priorities, you can painlessly discard whatever does not support these, whether it’s clutter in your cabinets or commitments on your calendar.” ~Victoria Moran