Tag: personal-development

Important Quest

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“Nothing shapes our journey through life so much as the questions we ask.”
Greg Levoy

I LOVE that…IMPORTANT QUEST[IONS]—Deep diving and finding those internal coordinates of your inner compass that hold and offer your distinct directions, personal directives, paths to living, etc…it is a guiding system that will lead you to your greatest work. The grandest quest of your life….the QUESTIONS that lead you to…Finding out WHO you are, WHERE you are going, WHAT you want… for your one, beautiful life.

I am a lover of unique words…questions…and a deeper depth of personal knowledge and understanding of oneself.

We are always journeying to find our best selves, a higher version, a more evolved, wiser, well-adjusted version, right??

I figured this would be a good place to start…a bunch of questions to help you see some things clearly for yourself.

Take what you like…run with the wild ones that excite and light you up. It is your life!! enJOY the journey.

According to Gemini:

It’s fascinating to consider the questions that truly drive a meaningful life. While the “right” questions can vary from person to person, here are five that often resonate deeply:

  • “Who am I?”
    • This goes beyond surface-level identities like profession or relationships. It delves into your core values, beliefs, and what truly makes you unique.
  • “What do I truly want?”
    • This encourages you to look past societal expectations and external pressures to identify your authentic desires and aspirations.
  • “What is my purpose?”
    • This isn’t necessarily about finding one grand, overarching purpose, but rather understanding what gives your life meaning and how you can contribute to the world.
  • “How can I live a life of integrity?”
    • This question focuses on aligning your actions with your values and living in a way that feels authentic and true to yourself.
  • “How can I cultivate meaningful relationships?”
    • Humans are social creatures. Meaningful connections are vital to a happy life. This question encourages you to consider how you can nurture and strengthen your relationships with others.

According to PsychologyToday article

Part 1. Your Essentials: Who Are You Today?

This is a chance to get reacquainted with the real you. It’s a reality check to remind you who you are at your core. Answering them should be a breeze, but note any areas that give you pause. 

1. List 5 adjectives or traits that describe you.*

2. List 5 roles that you fulfill.

3. List 5 of your skills and abilities.

4. List 5 of your possessions that provide insight into who you are as a person.

5. List 5 life experiences that have helped define who you are.*

6. List 5 attributes that your closest friends and family would say describe you.

Part 2. Your Authenticity: What Do You Know About Yourself For Sure?

It’s one thing to know some facts about yourself; it’s another to feel confident and certain about those characteristics. Let’s look at how predictable and stable your sense of self is. 

7. When you think about who you are, what aspects of your personality are most clear to you?* 

8. In what ways does the “you” that you present to the world match who you really are?* 

9. Think of three examples of when you stayed true to yourself despite societal or peer pressure. How can you continue to do this? 

10. What are three of your most important personal values, and how can standing by these beliefs benefit you in the future? 

11. What aspects of your personality stay the same regardless of the situation? 

12. Look at the “your essentials” lists that you’ve created for questions 1 to 6 in Part I. Do any of these traits conflict with who you think you are? If they do, how can you be more consistent? 

Part 3. Your Self-Esteem: How Well Do You Know What You Stand For?

Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s easy to focus on what’s wrong and forget everything that’s right. 

13. What are your three best qualities? 

14. If you compare yourself to others you know, what are you especially good at? 

15. In what ways is your life better than the lives of other people you know?* 

16. List three things about yourself that make you proud.*

17. Describe three of your greatest accomplishments in life. What’s your next big goal? 

18. What things do you struggle with? Do you know anyone else who shares these struggles?

Part 4. Remembering the Way You Were 

Time to get reacquainted with yourself and remember who you used to be before life got in the way. There’s a lot of good that you may have left behind.

19. List three things you enjoy but don’t get much opportunity to do. What steps can you take to do these things more often?*

20. What parts of who you are as a person have fallen by the wayside? What can you do to help bring them back?* 

21. In what ways have you put others’ needs ahead of your own? How can you restore the balance and start focusing on your own needs more? 

22. How can you make time in your schedule this weekend for at least one hobby you haven’t had time for recently? 

23. Think back to the type of person you wanted to be when you graduated from high school. What positive attributes did you have that you don’t think you have now? How can you rediscover these today? 

24. Spend an afternoon looking through photo albums and reading old journals. In what ways could you benefit from becoming reacquainted with the person you were in the past? 

Part 5. Your Work Life: How Can You Get the Most Out of Your Job? 

We spend a lot of our waking adult life at work. Like it or not, that can shape who we are. But we don’t have to accept that passively. Instead, we can take control by seeing work as an opportunity to improve ourselves. 

25. In what ways does your job help you improve as a person? How can you ensure that this will continue in the future?* 

26. What types of new and interesting things do you learn at your job? How have these experiences benefited you?* 

27. What new responsibilities that you’ve taken on at work do you enjoy? In what ways have these made you more effective at your job? 

28. How could you make the mundane and boring part of your work more interesting and fun? 

29. In the past five years, what new skills have you acquired at work? How have these been beneficial? 

30. Looking ahead to the next five years, what additional areas of expertise can you develop? 

Part 6. Your Future: How Can You Become an Improved Version of You

Time to step out of your comfort zone. Push yourself. Try new things, and discover new facets of who you are. Who do you want to become?

31. What are three new and interesting activities you could try? Which of them could you start next week? 

32. What are three topics you would like to learn about? Create an action plan for deepening your understanding of at least one. 

33. Challenge yourself to improve in three ways this month. What steps can you take toward accomplishing each? 

34. Which three places would you like to visit in the future? What could you learn from visiting each place? 

35. In what ways have you improved as a person over the past five years? How has this helped shape who you are today?*

36. Think about ways in which you could grow as a person over the next five years. How will this help you reach your full potential?* 

Working through these questions will provide you with the opportunity to gain greater insights into yourself and enhance your self-knowledge. That’s important because being more clear about the self is linked to greater life satisfaction, happiness, better mood, and lower stress. As Aristotle said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” 

Hope you can find some time to do the work for YOU.

Peace, Love and Light to you today. -H

Did you live with Passion?

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I LOVE this Serendipity movie line…Greeks didn’t write obits when someone died. They asked one question—Did they live with Passion?

My daughter is on her first world adventure across the continent & I can honestly say that she is doing her best to live with Passion. She hiked to a waterfall, had a kava ceremony, ate pineapple and watermelon from a local market, visited a Hindu temple, yelled ‘Bula’ to children in the villages she passed through out of her taxi window, took a shower in an outdoor, stone alcove, walked the beach & found her first puffy sand dollars along the shore. It was a day to remember!! She then woke up & the first picture she sent me was her with a headlamp, “heading out in the dark before sunrise to find treasures!!”

What is passion to you? What gets you out of bed? My daughter’s friend stayed in bed and missed the beautiful sunrise…missed opportunity! What gets you up and lights you up?

The definition of Passion: strong and barely controllable emotion

This is an incredible word to describe my daughter—she has this on varying levels of emotion 😉 She had her boyfriend on the phone as she found her first Fijian ‘puffy sand dollar’ and he just laughed listening and watching her on FaceTime get soo excited and barely able to control her enthusiasm and strong emotion. She gets lit up and excited about so many things. That is a great trait to have.

Passion is energy. Feel the power from focusing on what excites you. -Oprah

This goes along with the whole ‘what lights you up’ thought process. Follow those things that stir your soul, that add a little zest to your life, things that make you feel energized, get’s you up and excited to follow the energy that is a strong guiding force.

My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, compassion, some humor, and some style. -Maya Angelou

I had a friend give me a sign that has this quote on it. I love the whole idea of not merely surviving, but thriving…living…doing… with PASSION! I don’t profess to have any style—I am my own style. I wear black, usually patterned, slimming yoga pants and a black tank. I wear fit flop sandals and usually a hat of some kind with sunglasses. I own who I am in that!! I don’t have to think, I just do ME. But, I try to live with the compassion and humor part as well. Seeking it all with thriving on my mind. How can we thrive? Chasing the PASSION. It ignites and fuels…it creates barely controllable emotion. smile. smile. That is exciting!!

Think of a time that you got soo excited about something…anything…what was it?

Passion is your joy, it is the essence of who you are. You have to unwrap it and find it. — Jackie St. Onge

The essence or the nature of who you are is found in the passion and joy of your authentic self. You have to look at it like a gift you were born with, but the only way to open it, is by trying on those things in life that bring you joy…passion…that excite or ignite you. Then, the gift will be revealed. You have to shake it, listen, tumble, turn it, be still with it and allow the gift to slowly be opened in due time. SURPRISE!! Life may guide you to the very things you need to become your best version. That is where the passion lies…within… hidden in the essence of YOU.

“Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things.” — Denis Diderot

Its like a soulful alignment, a good vibe, an energy that seems to be able to take you to a whole other level of ideas, creativity, a higher awareness of what can be. That is power. That is passion.

“Develop a passion for learning.”  — Anthony J. D’Angelo

This is a WIN for me. I have a need and desire to input information. I feel like I have been creating, collecting, reading, learning, doing…a definite passion for learning. There is so much out there to see, hear, read, write, create, inspire, educate, elevate, etc. It is a non-stop wishing well of good things. Learning opens doors to new ideas, it ignites a fire that conspires to be started, it challenges our brains on different levels, It is the beginning of most creations. It is the spark that runs wild with passion. Learning takes you to places and shows you new possibilities or ways of thinking or imagining.

How to find and chase YOUR PASSION : Think about activities or interests that get you EXCITED. What do you enJOY doing? Think about your STRENGTHS. Look at subjects or things you love to share or teach to other people. When you are in conversations—what topics do you like to share or talk about? On the flip side—look at things, topics that seem to drain or suck your energy.

Needless to say there are soo many things out in this beautiful world to be excited, intrigued, curious…about, that it makes you spin sometimes. At least for me. I can have multiple ideas, things to write about, places I want to see and explore…the list goes on. I mean, ‘Who knew there was such a thing as a “colorist”—a person who is great with colors and can be an expert on creating the right feeling for a house with specific colors. Who knew!?! There are people passionate about soft corals, making dog biscuits, hiking waterfalls, quilting for a cause, doing yoga with goats, thrifting for treasures, stargazers & just regular things like gardening or sports…the list is endless. There are experts out there with such passion for soo many things. It is amazing!! So, have fun chasing what gets YOU excited and lights you up! LIFE IS THE PASSIONATE ADVENTURE!

Here are some ways to help…

CREATE: I say…create. In creation you find that special something that seems to whisper inspiration and fill you with focus, energy, direction, excitement…you just go…you flow. You create with passion. It is part of your true nature. Take some personal time each day, week, once a month (up to you on your time schedule) to create—whether you take a creative class, pull out creative journal prompts, write daily writing pages, take photos daily, build a sand castle with your kids, build a shed or a sauna…the list is endless of the creative possibilities—the point is to just create! Take the time to allow those deeper internal guidance systems to engage and lead you to the creative pursuits that stir passion.

ON YOUR MIND: You are excited or passionate about something when it is continually on your mind. Notice if there are specific ideas that keep popping up in your mind. Maybe there is a business that you are curious about. Maybe you keep finding yourself humming a certain melody that is a song idea trying to come through to you…There are so many ideas, creative longings, nudges from random places (think books you are drawn to, videos that pull on your imagination and call you to create, etc) Notice different things that play on your mind.

FIND YOUR FLOW: It is easy to find a rhythm or flow in doing something you are passionate about. Time seems to go by quickly and there is an ease. You have this natural energy and synergy that seems to ignite your thoughts & you feel as if you could keep going and going without a care of time. When you fall into the flow of passion…creativity is even easier. It is remarkable.

WILLING & WANTING TO LEARN MORE: When you are interested in something and want to learn more–there is a reason. You are drawn to a subject, style, hobby, interest…when you are first curious to know something, you become almost obsessed on some level to find out more. You want to get your answers, to learn what makes something so interesting…to practice, to try, to find out the beginning, to become more knowledgable. Think about it. When something peeks your interest…you want to jump in, swim a little deeper, see what’s under the surface and find out more. That is the natural path to finding one’s interests and passions.

BOTTOM LINE–YOU DO KNOW: In reality, YOU DO KNOW what you are drawn to & what possibilities COULD light you up. There may be a tiny grey area of complete knowing until you TRY it on for experience, but if someone asked you…could you be interested in working with doctors to find a cure for something…could you enjoy washing elephants at a sanctuary in Thailand…could you get excited about knitting hats for the homeless…could you see yourself writing a book…could you possibly enjoy detailing cars…could you see yourself flying an airplane…could you get excited to teach and train therapy animals…the list goes on. There are limitless opportunities to try things to see if they get you excited or push your passion buttons. BUT, you have to ask the questions, try them on and see what is a good fit for who you are and the kind of energy and passion that is created.

EXPLORE THE UNKNOWN: How do you REALLY know what you like, are interested in, get excited about…can be passionate about…IF you don’t get out of your comfort zone, try various activities, see and feel those things that create a spark and fire within. You need to explore the opportunities beyond. Its like a trip—you can stay in the safe harbor of the known or you can get out and feel the wind, dive under water, look at the stars from a new perspective, eat something you have never seen before, touch, feel…go beyond to find the real shiny stuff that might excite you that you never noticed or experienced. Get out and TRY things, explore, and find those unknown places within.

Great stories of people who followed their passion: A few stories of people you may have no idea about, their passions and where it took them.

From Inc online : https://www.inc.com/bill-murphy-jr/here-s-how-to-turn-your-passion-into-a-fortune.html. My personal favorites from the article…Jim Koch: A Harvard Business School graduate and consultant with Boston Consulting Company, Koch took the Austrian beer recipe that had been in his family for generations and used it to launch Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Company). With Budweiser, Coors, and Miller now owned by foreign companies, Boston Beer Company is now the largest American brewery.

Yvon Chouinard: An avid climber, Chouinard bought a second-hand forge and began to make his own equipment. Ultimately he founded Patagonia, a manufacturer of high-end outdoor clothing that did $600 million in sales in 2013. [There is also a great documentary about Yvon’s partner Doug & Kris Tompkins who did North Face–who have literally saved so much of the natural landscape of Patagonia–great watch https://youtu.be/yJL-OAPBDa8?si=emTsKGSueTTUl-nD] Talk about Passion & Purpose. Wow

Wendy Kopp: Kopp turned her senior thesis at Princeton University into Teach for America, a $229-million-a-year nonprofit organization that places graduates from some of America’s top colleges and universities as teachers in challenged public schools.

Kevin Plank: A football player at the University of Maryland, Plank designed shirts that could wick away sweat, and convinced his former teammates who went on to play professionally to try his product and share it with their teammates. The company that resulted, Under Armour, had $2.3 billion in revenue in 2013.

Here is a link to a list of other people who followed their passion! https://vocal.media/motivation/10-remarkable-people-who-turned-their-passion-into-profit-inspiring-tales-of-success

Sincerely hope this post helps you follow, seek, chase after the passion you need at this point in your life.

Peace. Love and Light to you today. xoxo -H