And we have to ask, what are our core values—those things in which we believe so passionately that we look forward to practicing and expressing them in our lives? Core values like Integrity, Joy, Creativity, Love… We then can develop the courage to live in integrity with our values. We must find a way so that our thoughts, feelings, and actions align so that we are in integrity with our true Self.
We can turn within and take a good look at our needs, wants, and desires—do they align with our core values? Our true Self? Have they changed—can we let some go and should we acquire new wants or desires? When we acquire things which are out of alignment with our true Self, our highest good, it is a shallow victory. The pleasure from that thing, situation or relationship fades rather quickly. But when we are in alignment and in synchronicity with our authentic Self, we attract things that support us on our journey—the things, situations and events that we attract into our lives uplift and support us, and bring with them Peace and Joy and a lasting fulfillment.
We need to scrutinize our support systems—are they serving us? Do the people around us allow us to feel good about expressing our authentic Self? Or do we often hide our light under a bushel, not wanting negative attention or criticism? Sometimes we might even find ourselves adapting to someone else’s core values to fit in—say, at work or when we are in a new relationship. Are those around us encouraging us to reveal more of who we are, or are they asking us to stay put and uphold the status quo?
We need to turn within and ask some hard questions: are we using all of our God-given gifts and talents? Or have we been stuck ‘getting by’ or just ‘making money’ for so long that we’ve forgotten all about our passions? Maybe there are new passions and talents that have emerged that are just waiting to be expressed. We can let go of fear, of any idea that it’s too late, or we don’t have enough time. We can jump into our passion at anytime with the courage to live free. It’s always the right time to live our life from passion!
What excites you, impassions you, uplifts you? Sometimes we use excuses not to be excited or live impassioned. If our passion is traveling and exploring new countries—but we don’t have the finances, vacation time, or are grounded by the pandemic— we can find another way to live our passion. We can go to a museum, read books, watch movies, or take cooking classes about the people, culture, and places that excite you. This creates a path of possibility and satisfies our soul’s yearning.
We can find meaning, peace, and joy in the simple things in life. We can usually find our authentic self away from the crowds and in nature—walks on the beach or through the park—even meditating on a flower, a leaf, or a candle.
It can take some deep self-inquiry to know which types of eggs are our favorite (see the movie Runaway Bride!), which music makes us cringe, and where we find our ultimate peace, but the rewards of living an authentic life are enormous. Freedom is our gift—it has already been given. To fully accept a fearless and authentic life, we must live our passion, always!
