Paving It Forward

by Elisabeth Fayt, best-selling author of Paving It Forward

Living passionately takes one key ingredient: awareness of The Present Moment. It means releasing regrets of the past, getting out of the I’ll-be-happy-when future and choosing to embrace the moment you are in with awareness and passion. Otherwise I liken it to having your feet planted in two different boats. If your goal is to live a passionate life, you must be fully committed to it, with both feet in.

Introspect for a moment about your own life. Are you living passionately now or are you still waiting for your lottery numbers to be called? Here are four simple ways to bring passion and purpose into your life right now.

Release the doubt.

Doubt is one of the biggest passion killers. Let me help you to banish doubt forever. If you knew that it is the Divine who is desiring and dreaming through you, could you then accept the thought that your dreams and passions are already pre-destined for manifestation? In fact, if you look at the pattern of your life, you would see that the Divine has been preparing you all along for what you are meant to do in this life. Relax and become aware that there is a Master Plan is already at work, making your dreams come true.

Share your gifts.

What makes you unique? What are your special gifts? Only you can give those gifts to the world. Don’t take them lightly! What are you doing each day to use those gifts to make a difference in the world? Start each day with the thought: How can I use my gifts to add value to the world today?

Find your purpose.

For ten years I was private assistant to a billionaire who had his own fleet of airplanes and I traveled the world working with global business leaders. It was no doubt a lifestyle that appeared easy to be passionate about. Reality be it, grueling schedules and heavy demands would have been serious passion-killers had I not fostered the right attitude in my work. I was easily on four to five flights a week. To others, it was a seemingly glamorous life. I would often be asked “Of all the places you’ve been, where is your favorite place of all?” I would get a startled look when I would respond by saying, “Wherever I’m landing.”

I made it my choice to be passionate about wherever I was going and whatever I was doing, from the exciting to the mundane. That, in itself, brings purpose to whatever you are doing. Passion is a choice. It is how we do things, not what we do. Often we keep searching for that special job or opportunity that we assume will bring purpose to our lives, yet purpose is to be found not in the what but the how.

Make the effort.

Who is your mentor, your idol? What is the difference between you and this person? Nothing. Whatever you want to accomplish in your life, do what it takes to make it happen. Make the effort. Living passionately requires effort, and a commitment to taking action. What will you do today to start living a passionate, magnificent life?