What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?

What Do You Want To Be 
When You Grow Up?
Wear The Hat That Best Suits You!
Do you dread getting up Monday morning, knowing you have to go to work?  Do you dislike or even hate your job?  Everyone deserves to live a complete passion filled life, and that includes our work where we spend most of our hours and days.  Perhaps you're wearing the wrong "hat", perhaps it's time to rethink what you're doing with your life!   Think about what you'd really like to be doing if there were no obstacles.  What could you enjoy, really enjoy doing for 40 hours a week?
If you can't seem to connect with the "real" you, and what you'd love to do, I listed some simple exercises to help you find the hat that fits!

6 Simple Tips to Make Sure That You're Wearing 

The Right Hat For Life!

1)  Simply look at what it is that you enjoy doing in your off-time.  Is it cooking?  Is it entertaining or planning parties and get togethers with friends?  Is it painting or photography?  Believe it or not, but most 'hobbies' can be recreated into careers these days!  In fact, with some time invested a little research and perhaps some retraining, you could be doing what you love full time and making a good living at it!

If you think your 'hobby' or interests seem too corny to develop into something bigger - then think again!  It's about having an idea or interest, and then researching to where it fits into today's market.  It may mean tailoring it somewhat.  If you are an artist for example, a trade that historically is not a big money maker for most, tailor you talents to perhaps graphic design if you like computers as well.  Now you're into the big world of online marketing!  A gift of entertaining can be turned into a career of event planning.  It's about doing the research, and making the move!


2) What did you want to be when you you were little?  Make a list of all the things you thought you wanted to be when you were growing up.  We seem to have this great insight when we're little and then life's journey seems to lead us a stray.  Even if it seems like a lofty goal now, such as becoming a doctor or lawyer, think about it again.  There are new ways to get retraining such as  online courses and distance education to name two.  Even if its one course a season, remember that a 2,0000 mile journey begins with just one step!


3) Volunteer in organizations that  fit where you'd ideally like to work or think you'd like to choose a career in.  If you secretly love curating and art, volunteer at a major art gallery on weekends.  Work hard, go the extra mile, learn, and create your own personal brand.  You'll find out quickly and inexpensively if that's the fit for you!


4) Make and keep a concise contact list!  Who are your friends, acquaintances, business associates?  Chances are that if you've been working for a while you know quite a few people.  Add them to your contact lists such as email or facebook.  Keep getting out there and meeting people.  Keep adding them to your list.  You never know who can help you and in what way in your journey at finding the perfect fit!


5) Pick everyone's brain!  Make sure as you meet new people and then ask a lot of questions!  Find out who they are, what they do, and who they know.    There are some people who have fascinating jobs, jobs that you would have never known existed unless you met them and asked.  Find out what they know.  Glean from their wisdom, life and business experiences.  Become interested in EVERYTHING!  This is about gaining real knowledge - besides the obvious - making contacts!  And people are quite obliging in sharing their stories and what they know.

6)  Be confident!  If you aren't as confident as you think you should be, FAKE IT until you MAKE IT!  In the end, it doesn't matter who you are, a man or woman, how much you earn, or your weight or health issues.  It's about presentation and approach.  You are a brand.  You know stuff simply through life experiences.  You are an individual and there's no clone of you anywhere.  Market yourself properly.  Make sure everyone gets the true brand of who you are - you can only do this by putting yourself out there!  


And remember, enjoy the journey! 

Simple Strategies For Life

Notice Me  by HMP ©

Simple Strategies For Life

Life can be incredible, beautiful and filled with passion, but life can also throw you a curve ball.  I found there are some strategies that one must live by in order to remain authentic to oneself.  Authenticity is important because without it, we are just 'faking' our way through life.

For clarity, here are some important strategies to incorporate into your authentic self - every day - and in every situation:

• Tell the Truth - Always & as QUICKLY as possible

• Notice Everything: physically around you and the emotions within and acknowledge

• Stop Talking & Start Listening - really listening - and not just 'hearing'

• If in Doubt - Wait it out - sometimes the best thing to do is nothing at all - for a little while until you have greater clarity

• Eat, Rest and Call a Friend if you're lonely meaning take care of yourself -  don't expect someone else to look after your needs

• *Learn to Enjoy Your Own Company*  This is super important in 'finding' your authentic self, what you love and what you need.  Do this and you will also never be bored with life

• Give Something to Someone every day!  It can be small, like a few important minutes of your time, or it can be just giving some spare change to someone in need.  Even sending a 'Thank You' card to someone in appreciation of something they've done or meant to you and why is a form of giving to others.  Complements are great - as long as they are sincere and without ulterior motives. The greatest gifts I have given are those that I have given that are most in need and in complete anonymity! 

Spend some time today just looking around you, wherever you are, as boring as the surroundings might be, and see how many different sights, smells and sounds you notice when you are 'tuned in'.   Touch the things around you and feel those things that look tantalizing - like the smoothness of a round stone or the coolness of a piece of metal.  How do you feel inside when you experience these sensations?

Enjoy the sensationalness of your day! 

Okay for Passion, but What About Love?

"A Picture Worth A Thousand Words"
By HMP ©

Okay For Passion, but What About Love?


This blog talks a lot about passion as it relates to having a passion for one's life, one's interest's and what really turns that person 'on'.  It is written in the broad terms of directing one's life towards their God given talents and interests so that a person can love all that they are and all that they do.  But, many have asked "What about 'Love?'"

Passion can be defined as, ':  intense, driving, or overpowering feeling or emotion.   It applies to love.  It is important to have a love of ourselves and our own life first before we seek out to try and find a love interest.  This is important because we attract what and where we are in life.  It is scientifically proven that the number one predictor of who we will fall in love with is 'location' and the second is 'familiarity'.  Astounding isn't it?  So love 'found' is as simple as where we geographically live and how familiar the person is to us.  

Familiarity falls into categories of appearance, personality, addictions, success and wisdom to name a few.  This is scary in many ways.  However, if we are living our 'dream life' when we meet people socially, guess what?  Chances are, many of those people are also living their best lives as well!  

Pam's Story

Pam is an attractive woman in her forties.  Unfortunately she had a history of getting into relationships with men who drank too much.  She didn't want men who were alcoholics, but that is what she always ended up with.  She said, "I would meet a guy at an event, and he would make me feel so good, he was the life of the party."  Tom (her last boyfriend) was so confident and outgoing, she says, "I was instantly attracted to him, and he told me he hardly ever drank alcohol.  How was I supposed to know he had a 'problem' with booze?"  

Pam was used to this personality type - her father, her first husband . . . all alcoholics, all outgoing.  And Pam was used to the role of 'enabling' (accepting and protecting).  She wasn't healthy or happy and she wasn't taking care of herself in many ways.  

Everyone has a story, and everyone has a history.  It doesn't matter so much what the details are, as much as how you manage to move forward, out and past the history and make it all just a 'story'.   I once read that we spend our entire lives rewriting our pasts in order to change the outcome.  How crazy is that?


Thankfully, Pam, like others who could move past the history, changed her life fulfilling her passion for photography.  Here's the rest:

Interestingly, while taking photos at a wedding show one day, Pam met Sam.  Sam was a handsome, single successful businessman who was at the show with his daughter.  Sam was not 'in your face' outgoing, but confident in a classy and wisdom-filled style.  Pam was now, too, confident in a classy and wisdom-filled style and happy with her life just as it was.  They are now together and Pam lives out her dreams by first, being madly in love with her life, her passion filled career and now even more complete in sharing it with her true soul-mate.  And no, Sam is not an alcoholic!

This was the life Pam was always meant to have.

First become the one whom you wish to meet & love. © 

  

Following Your Dream: To Do or Not To Do

Life's paths by HMP ©

Following Your Dream - 
To Do or Not To Do
You may be asking yourself at this point if you should follow that 'dream' that has always been haunting you at the back of your mind, or leave good enough alone.  You probably have a good (enough) job, a mortgage, family, debts and winter vacation every so often.  Why then, are you nagged by the feeling that life just isn't what you expected - not fulfilling -  like there's always something deeper missing?  Then reason kicks in and tells you, "hey, you can't just give up your stable income, your pension - are you crazy?"

The great news is that you don't have to give up either!  There are ways, many ways, to have both - it's about recognizing and fully acknowledging your dream - and then taking baby steps to work towards it.  The biggest step is knowing!


- Knowing what your passion(s) are
- Knowing what your goals are
- Knowing - really knowing - that you WANT to live your Dream Life


Now, today, you take those baby steps.  Review some of my previous blogs in achieving the inner wisdom and inner knowledge to begin discovering your true dreams and passions.  Start keeping a journal and open your mind to opportunities.  Remember, it is not necessary to throw out the baby with the bath water.  Chances are there are things you are already doing in your life and life experiences will augment and align with your dream passion filled life when the time is right.

Keep your current life commitments while you make the baby steps as opportunities arise.  Pretty soon your inner wisdom will provide the clarity in what you need to do next to achieve the life you were always meant to live.

I hope to meet YOU in your dream life one day soon! ©

Finding Your Passion

'The Hidden Treasure' by HMP ©

Finding Your Passion
"The Hidden Treasure"

What is your passion?  Some people have many passions, others can't identify even one.  But everyone has at least one true passion.

There are a couple of tricks to find your passion.  Remember, that you don't need to consciously create a passion, you just need to find it.  It's a part of that inner wisdom discussed in previous blogs.  Once you find your passion, it can be developed, grown and lived out for a truly fulfilled life.

Here are some techniques for finding your passion(s):
1)  Journaling Daily - If you don't already have a journal, get one going now.  Pick a quiet time each day, either first thing in the morning before life gets hectic or last thing at night before going to bed - as long as you're not too tired.  I find it helpful to begin by listing 5 things you are thankful for - even if it's simple like a day filled with sunshine.  Things will progress as you continue on a daily bases.  Don't miss a day.  After thankfulness, then write about your day; your dreams, what you loved about your day, your childhood - the 'what' doesn't matter - just write.  Eventually your passions will begin to emerge.

2)  Meditate - Find a quiet peace of solitude and clear everything from your mind.  There should be no thoughts or external interruptions.  I find out in nature works best.  Eventually things that you love, things that make life exciting to you, and your passions will be released from your sub-conscious into your conscious.

3)  Ask - ask your closest friends to write a paragraph of what they love about you and send it to you.  Not only is this a fantastic moral booster, but it gives some clues of what you are truly gifted at while just in a relaxed state with your friends.

4)  Think - Remember the movie, "The Bucket List?"  Think about your last breaths on this Earth, and about all the things that you wish you would have done but didn't - because you didn't have the time, the money, the energy, or the motivation.  This could be a good clue about what you should be doing with your life - perhaps there are a few passions too.

5)  Finish - this sentence:  "If money were no object, I would love to just do this ---------------- for the rest of my life."

These are a few strategies to flush out your true life passions.   Remember, first find the passion - then live your passion for your best life possible!©