Question: Do you struggle to be happy? I mean really, truly happy in an authentic way.
Take a moment, a sacred pause, to sit with this inquiry and allow your Wise Self to answer honestly.
The truth is most people want to be happier, live more joyfully and feel on Purpose. Don’t believe me? Just look at the popularity of the “buy-it-now” and “on-demand” features that are everywhere. Or, the amount of vacations, technology, homes and automobiles purchased in the hopes that it will help achieve the happiness level people feel they deserve.
What I find fascinating about the “search for happiness” is that just underneath that inquiry is the deeper, more introspective driving factor. The search for meaning. The search for purpose. The hunger for sacred connection and feeling of “my life matters.”
This beautiful, yet seemingly elusive, combination between a life of purpose AND meaning makes one very rich indeed. Yet not in a way that you can buy, rent or lease.
And at a cellular, spiritual level we all know this.
You may be wondering if this is even possible for us mere mortals? Yes! Keep reading my friend, as we explore this rich and vast area together.
At the top of the list of questions people come to me with when I'm doing an Angel Reading for them is, What is My Purpose? Or, as I see it, they are asking the deeper question, What am I really supposed to be doing with my wild and beautiful life?
Typically followed up by this statement:
"I know there's more to me than this. My life is okay, but it's just not fulfilling anymore. I guess if I'm honest it never has been that fulfilling, it's just that I don't know what to else to do. I really want to feel excited about life again. I want to feel happy. I want to feel joyful. Is it too late for me? I wish I knew what to do.”
The truth is, we are living in a day and age that our ancestors may never dreamed of living. We have the time and resources to actually think more deeply about the question of Purpose.
We no longer have to just work for the sake of work. It's more common to find ourselves in the dilemma of feeling we are talented in a number of areas and it can be challenging to narrow it down to one focus area.
Career and purpose, I find, are often mixed up and that can add to the confusion.
And just to clarify, a career is a job that you choose to work in that is fulfilling on many levels and brings in a paycheck.
Life Purpose on the other hand, as many New Thought speakers and writers agree, is simply to be happy.
What?!
That's right. And I know it sounds simplistic. That’s why this is a paradox, my friends. When we feel that career and life purpose need to be the same it can cause a lot of unneeded stress. Not to mention a never-ending loop of unrealistic expectations.
Truth be told, many people feel they have missed the boat, are too old or there simply isn't enough time in the day to do what they really want to do. For them, happiness really is a destination. Something that needs to be earned or worked for.
Is there a practical solution?
Yes. Begin to ease up on thinking that your job or daily grind needs to fill all your spiritual and vocational needs.
Because let's be honest, that is a very tall order indeed!
This mindset of easing up allows you to think about what you can add into your day to expand your happiness quota.
Pondering this query really is more about taking control of your own happiness. Instead of seeing things in black and white, it's allowing for more colors and hues to shine on other areas of your life that are possibly being neglected or overlooked.
If you begin to view life with adding more pizazz and spice to it, what would you do? How can you cultivate a more joyful mindset?
Are you wanting to travel and add adventure to your life? Start small with a day trip.
How about taking that evening course or special interest class you've been wanting to sign up for, but you keep talking yourself out of because you feel you haven’t “earned” it yet?
Do you want to take up Salsa dancing or the Argentine Tango or perhaps a lovely and rejuvenating Yoga class? Look up the schedule of a local studio and commit to just one introduction class (Zoom or in-person.)
How about that gardening class or floral arranging weekend workshop that keeps whispering to you? Ask yourself, why not?
Theater? You could take a class without the expectation of performing. Just do it for the fun of it.
Now, just to be clear I'm not saying the career/life purpose combination can't happen. It most certainly can and for some folks it does.
What I do know is this-- after doing many, many readings for people that are at the top of their game in the field they are well known for there is still a longing for more.
You might think, What have they got to complain about? I wish I had that problem.
It's not about complaining. I believe it has to do with our natural affinity and desire for wanting more out of life. We can stay grounded and rooted in our daily life and reach for the stars.
Before the pandemic, I was fortunate enough to visit Clos de Luce in Amboise, France. This is the final residence of Leonardo Da Vinci. He was gifted this beautiful chateau and gardens by Francois I to invent, experiment and create to his heart's content.
Painting was just one aspect in his multi-faceted life.
He loved science, anatomy, botany, experimenting, engineering, humanity, animals, flowers and watching birds fly. In fact, Da Vinci was still working and designing an early prototype of a helicopter up until his final days.
What fascinates me about Da Vinci was his absolute love and passion for life.
Even 500 years ago, he was not restricted by limiting thoughts. His paintings paid the bills and became what he was most known for, however; his love of creative thinking in a variety of areas is what he’s becoming more widely known for today.
It certainly begs the question of each of one us:
What else could we be doing or dabbling in that would fulfill our many creative outlets?
Why restrict ourselves to just one or two areas?
What if the sky really is the limit?
If Life Purpose is about being happy, then why not focus on that?
Can we shift our view in how we see our regular, day-to-day habits? Can we see our "job" or “daily routine” as allowing us to also support our creative interests and desires?
They are not mutually exclusive. One supports the other.
The love of creativity and challenging ourselves to experiment adds much needed spice to our daily life. And what we choose as a way to earn a living gives us the base and foundation to support the creative, emerging and joyful side.
YOUR TURN: What is one choice you can make today that would bring you more joy, more happiness?
I wish you a beautiful rest of your day, my friend.
With love and light,
💛
Joanna
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