“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Harold Whitman
Have you ever thought about what makes you feel alive…really alive? We can get so caught up in the routine of our lives…the doing of life…that we think we don’t know what it feels like to be alive to the core of our being.
We have all had moments in our life in which we have had this feeling of aliveness. It has been when time stands still for you, when you are filled with joy and a sense of accomplishment, when nothing in the world matters but the ‘thing’ in front of you, when the aliveness you feel comes from the inside…when your soul is smiling. We have all had these moments…we know what it feels like. Take a moment right now and think about your life. Maybe you had this feeling when you worked with a team to solve a problem, when you built a home with Habitat for Humanity, when you spent time with a loved one who was dying, when you coached a little league team, when you learned a new skill or how to paint or sculpt. Maybe you feel your aliveness when you are preparing tax returns or managing a team or caring for animals or teaching others.
As many people as there are in the world…are as many ways that there are for feeling alive. Part of feeling alive is recognizing abundance in your life right now. The other part is to increase your aliveness by making choices that support this goal. Could you feel alive all the time? If we put these two parts into practice…I say YES.
First, be grateful for your life right now. Alright, maybe it’s not the best or where you want to be…but be grateful anyway. Be and feel grateful for enough to eat and gas in your car and a ride to the airport. Be and feel grateful for a smile, a hug, a phone call. When you practice gratitude, possibilities for increasing your aliveness will emerge. Look for them, imagine them and act on them. Spend a little time being still and knowing yourself…what is it that awakens the passion in you?
The world needs people who have come alive. Do you have the courage to be all that you can be?
Peace
Paula
