I’m often asked, what’s the secret to living a great life?
I don’t think there’s one secret, I think there are many. And, what works for one person won’t work for another. This adventure called life is all about finding your own way into the life you love.
But, I do have a few general ideas.
Ten years ago I would have answered – regularly expressing gratitude {still my daily practice}.
Two years ago I would have answered – listening to love over fear {still my life philosophy}.
Now, I would answer – living in alignment.
You know you’re not living in alignment when you justify what you want to do, justify what you don’t want to do, ignore your intuition, bypass signs from your body, compromise your values for other people, numb out or distract yourself from the ‘bad’ feelings, abandon your dreams and desires, frequently break your promises to yourself and others, experience a lot of unwanted drama, give your power away, procrastinate, feel burdened by life, or feel like you’re living someone else’s life {How the hell did I get here?! This isn’t my life!}
Living out of alignment makes life hard and cuts you off from the life you love.
Living in alignment is your north star, your most reliable guide into your greatest life.
There are two steps to living in alignment.
First, figure out what’s essential.
Second, live it.
What people, places, or experiences are essential for the life you love?
Remember when you were thriving and write out what was present in your life. Remember when you were not thriving and write out what was missing.
For now, set aside the needs of others and just focus on yourself. What do you need in order to feel fulfilled and alive?
Once you know what is essential, live it.
How can you communicate your essential needs to yourself and others? You’ll have to be brave and express your truth with love.
What are your non-negotiables? Make a plan to take care of the essentials in your personal life and professional life.
What are the conversations to have, the boundaries to set, the commitments to make, the calls to place, the people to meet?
You align yourself with every decision you make, conversation you have, article you read, activity you engage in, song you listen to, perspective you take, project you accept, and relationship you choose.
Align with what’s essential, live a life you love.