Chi For Yourself

In our last post, we looked at the effect of living with purpose on your spiritual health. And we saw how it relates to living a happy and fulfilled life.

Today we’ll switch gears and talk about things that don’t make you happy.

What doesn’t make you happy is money and more material possessions. In fact, quite the opposite seems to be true.

Now at times a bit of extra cash or more reliable car can decrease your stress and worries. And that does bring a measure of happiness.

But once we have our needs and simple comforts met, something interesting happens.

From there on out, more money and more possessions give us more “stuff” to worry about.

The goal then shouldn’t be to do everything we can to keep up with the Joneses. Instead, what makes us happy is living a purpose driven and meaningful life.

Deep down you already know this. Meaningful experiences trump material gifts anytime.

We remember the fun trips we took as kids. And the great times we had at concerts. A pile of presents under the tree pales in comparison.

There are exceptions. Like the year you got the new bike. But that gift had purpose and meaning behind it.

So boosting happiness and well-being through more money and stuff is not the answer.

Better to first cover the basic needs. Then shift your focus to experiences and relationships. That’s the key to leading a happy and fulfilled life.

Also important is focusing on finding purpose in what we do.

Financial goals are fine. But don’t leave out goals for your relationships and experiences.

Your thoughts might drift toward your next promotion. Or how you’ll afford a new car. But make sure you send your primary thought time and energy to the most important people and things.

Start living with purpose and making a difference. You’ll increase the well-being of people around you.

And you’ll be happier, too.

JohnK 6-19-2017
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Overheard: “God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.”                      

                       – Voltaire

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Today we look at spiritual health or wellness and the affect living with purpose has on it. Makes no difference which spirituality or religion you follow.

We live in a very diverse society and as a result, some folks will have different beliefs than others. Even within faiths, there are vast differences in beliefs.

In the end, living with purpose and intention has shown to be beneficial, no matter what your belief.

Having a purpose is a primal human need. We want to feel needed and we need to know that we’re making a difference.

This leaves us feeling fulfilled, happy, and complete. That’s why living with purpose is so important and why it is good for your spiritual health.

The Need To Be Needed
We enjoy it when others need us. We’re prone to sadness and loneliness when we can’t help those around us and make a difference in their lives.

Having a purpose and living with purpose allows us to do that on a regular basis. It fulfills the need to be needed.

The Need To Find Meaning In Life
Another common human desire or need is to find meaning in life. We don’t like to feel like we’re wasting our time here.

Living with purpose gives meaning to each day. That, in turn, makes us feel happier and more fulfilled.

The Need To Have Hope
At the end of the day, even when things seem bad, we need to have hope. Having a purpose means we have a plan and we have something to strive towards.

That’s hope in action.

It is hope that we’ll make a difference. It’s hope that things we’ll make our situation better. And it is hope that we can get ourselves out of the hole we may find ourselves in.

The Need For Values
We also need sound values to live a happy and fulfilled life. Our values are like a compass that guides us along the way.

If you’re a parent, you know how important it is to impart strong values on your children. Without them, they feel lost and insecure.

That can add a lot of stress and unhappiness.

We’re no different as adults. Living our life with purpose by default provides us with a strong set of values to live by.

Living with purpose is good for the mind and spirit. It allows you to live a more fulfilling and happier life and make a difference in the world.

JohnK 6-18-2017
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When you start thinking about and then living with purpose something wonderful happens.

You start taking action.

You start doing things instead of second guessing yourself and procrastinating. You get off the couch and get going on the things you’ve always wanted to do.
 
 
Taking action becomes so much easier when you have a clear purpose. You have an outcome in mind and you know exactly what the next step is that you need to take.

What’s more important, you have big motivation to get it done.

Let’s look at weight loss as an example. You can try to lose some weight and get into shape for months and even years with little success.

Sure, you eat a little better. And you go for a walk every now and then. But because you don’t have an actual purpose, you don’t get far.

Now and then you’ll give in to the urge to snack, get a second helping, or indulge in a cookie. There’s no big reason to get serious about losing weight and there’s no deadline.

Now let’s pretend for a moment. You’re getting married in nine months and you’ve got to look fantastic on your big day.

You have a dress or suit size in mind and a pretty good idea of how many pounds you have to lose by your wedding day. Bingo! You have a purpose, a goal, and a deadline.
 
 

That’s exactly what it takes to get serious about losing weight.

You start taking massive action. You clean up your diet, cut out the sugar and processed food.

You start working out to tone and reshape your body as you start to drop those pounds. You read up on and learn as much as you can about nutrition and the latest trends in diet and exercise.

The result? You start shedding the pounds. And you’re looking better and better the closer you get to your non-negotiable deadline.
 

That’s the power of putting a purpose into action. It spurs you on and motivates you to do things and make changes.

Having a purpose also keeps you from procrastinating out of a false fear of failure. Does that mean you won’t fail? Of course not.

You may not hit your weight loss goal. And you may cheat and have a doughnut along the way. That’s not the point.                                                                                         

Even with the occasional stumble, your purpose keeps fueling your progress. You pick yourself up and get right back to it.

Purpose is motivating you.

Not taking action because you think you may fail is no longer an option.

And that’s a pretty big deal.  

JohnK 6-17-2017

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Overheard: “If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of”

                            ~ Bruce Lee 

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