Living Life on Purpose

I just listened to an inspiring TED talk by Mallika Chopra about Living with Intent.  This is a topic that I have focused on in my life for quite a while.  I try to live my life by doing the things that are important to me and I hope by doing that it will allow me to live without regrets.

Two years ago I had a serious illness and came close to death a couple of times.  The support and outpouring of love was overwhelming, empowering and motivated me to heal.  It took over a year for me to gain my strength back.  Even so I was aware that I had been given a second chance at life.  Friends asked if I had an epiphany when I was in a coma or if I saw God or had a new realization about life.  As I thought back about the experience I was disappointed that I had no special experience to share.  However, what I have realized is that every day and every experience is special.
It is not just the highlights in life that are important but the existence of appreciation for every little thing that happens. We often tell ourselves that what we are doing is not important and that we must pray or meditate sitting alone in a quiet space to get in touch with ourselves and with God.  I am realizing that everything we do is spiritual because we are spirit.  Whether you are drinking coffee, driving down the street, caught in traffic, talking on the telephone, listening to a child or a friend or watching TV all are precious in our day to day lives.

So for today if is is your intent to relax and read a book then you are successful sitting and reading a book.  If it is your intent to volunteer for a charity that is an intentional act also.  Or if you are busy fulfilling the many expectations in your daily life and are intentional in doing so then you are living life with intent and on purpose.

I encourage you to be more aware of all your daily activities and discern whether the things you are doing are intentional or if you are merely going through the motions.  For you see the everyday things you do are usually done on purpose and all we need to do is to focus and be aware.