So what the heck is "Living On Purpose" (LOP)?

LOP is a bit challenging to summarize because it is different for everyone in every moment of their life.  It is the moment by moment alignment with who I really am (WIRA), and the expression of that.  However, even though LOP in each moment for each person is different, and therefore impossible to have one "how to" LOP guide, there are some principles that help me be in alignment with WIRA and to LOP.

I would summarize LOP, and the principles that work for me, as follows:

• I create my own reality by how I choose to perceive life in every moment.
• The perceptions I choose are usually habitual thoughts, stories, and judgements that I repeat over and over.  However, I can choose to create new perceptions as well.
• Life is not about the things, the forms, the physical realities.  What I am really after in life are the essences, the way I feel about things, or how I experience 'reality'.
• I can know which thoughts, stories, and judgements represent and support WIRA, and my success, by the way they feel.  If I feel good I am expressing WIRA, and if I don't feel good I am in the midst of clarifying WIRA.
• I allow more of WIRA by surrendering those thoughts, stories, beliefs, judgements, and actions that don't feel good and instead embody those that do.
• As I be in alignment with WIRA, and listen, I hear/see/feel inspirations to say/do/follow up on a variety of ideas.  The better I listen, the more the inspirations.
• The more I listen and follow those inspirations, the more complete the picture of WIRA becomes.  The expression of those inspirations are what some people call our gifts, talents, skills, calling, our life's work.  I call it being my genius self.

Post It Notes from 'God'

I started to rush into my day this morning, using my favorite habits for not LOP (control, action, justification, push). I happened to look out the window and there was a sky of pinks and oranges and purples. It was like a big Post It note in the sky from 'God' saying, "Take a moment to enjoy this, be here now, what really is most important to you?"
I caught the sign, took the moment, was inspired to share with you. That feels better!
Puts a whole new meaning to someone saying, "Thank God for Post It notes!" doesn't it?!

Lady Gaga

I heard Lady Gaga say when asked why she does what she does, "I want them (the audience) to free themselves, and I want them to be proud of who they are, and I want them to celebrate all the things that they don't like about themselves. I perform every night and I look into your beautiful eyes and I love you so much."

I feel like her 'weird', and 'wild', and 'pushing the envelope' way of being is making such a huge space for what is 'O.K.' Her creative expression seems to open the door and invite us to be our weird and wonderful selves because chances are we are probably not going to be any 'weirder' than she is, and somehow that makes it feel a little easier for us to be who we really are.

What is the weird and wonderful expression of who you really are? You are in good company.

Some Roads Don't Make Sense

I am going down a road I don't understand. Over the last few months I have watched four movies about the early English monarchs, and now last night I purchased a book on the topic. I have never really had an interest in history or monarchs.

The fourth principle in Living On Purpose (LOP) is listening. Listening, for me, is often the quieter voice, the voice that often first appears to not be logical or wise. It's the voice that has curiosity, and eagerness, and intrigue, and excitement attached to it. It's the voice that I often try and talk myself out of because I don't judge it's direction as responsible.

So, as I stood with excitement last night looking at this book I could hardly wait to dive into, and I heard Mr. Logic say, "Don't be foolish, this is not a topic you are interested in, you won't actually ever read it, and buying it will be a waste." I said back to it, "I am willing to go down this road and see where it takes me and I am O.K. with it not making sense to me right now -- I am trusting my enthusiasm."

What road are you wanting to go down for no logical reason?

You Just Know!

I asked my mother when I was young, "How will I know when I want to get married?" Her answer, somewhat frustrating at the time, "You'll just know."

If I were asked how one knows when one is Living On Purpose (LOP) I would answer the same, "You just know!"  All doubt disappears and is replaced with a peace no one can disturb, and not because everything is perfect, but because we are not judging things as right and wrong.  The specifics are less important and instead a general joy and appreciation fills one to the brim and squirts out the eyes.  There is a willingess to step off the edge and fly because we know all is well.

Maslow called it peak experiences, Csikszentmihalyi calls it flow, I call it LOP -- you just need to know.

The X Factor

Simon Cowell has his new show out called "X Factor", meaning they are looking for singers: that have that extra 'something'; that have the complete package; who give you goose bumps as they perform; who you know, without a shadow of a doubt, are meant to be singing.

Well, I believe we all have the X Factor and we just need to be honest enough with ourselves to admit to and express what it is, in each moment. It may not make us famous, it may not make us rich, but the joy, creativity, and enthusiasm we experience will be unmistakable. Because, as you express who you really are you shine with an extra 'something', you can feel that it is a complete package, you will have goosebumps, and you will know without a shadow of a doubt you are meant to be doing this thing.

Lusting After Outcomes

I had been suspicious the last few years that I had not been telling myself the whole truth, but I couldn't put my finger on what I was missing. This summer, I realized I was still 'lusting' after outcomes. Meaning, I was still believing that certain things, certain people, certain situations needed to be a certain way before I could feel good. You know, those 'little' things like traffic, and our work, and relationships, and world issues : )

In actuality, I was holding myself hostage. I was my own jailer. I was sacrificing my joy in certain moments because I did not think it was possible to look at a particular situation and feel at peace anyways.

Then one day, while facing a fairly large issue, I was forced to let it go because I could not control it. I had to step back from it, set it down, detach from it, and as I did I was able to see how this 'reality' was not actually attached to my experience of life, it did not determine it.
What happens outside of me and what happens inside of me are two completely different experiences. I have no control over one and complete control over the. Ahhhhhh, there is no better feeling of freedom or control than that.

So, I am going to practice LOP for the next week by making a note of those 'little' things I am trying to contol or that I am judging as not right. This is an excercise in setting ourselves free and often conscious awareness is enough to do just that. Join in if it sounds like fun.

Comparison is Mediocre

So, the other day I am working out and realize I am comparing myself to the person working out next to me. Who's going faster? Who's going longer? Who's at a higher intensity? That's O.K., that can be motivating. Maybe that's what they call "healthy competition," however, it does seem to be dominated by a feeling of push or effort.

 

Then I think about the times I have been, what I guess they call, "in the zone" working out. I slip into a space of effortless, I tap into a well of endless energy, I have goosebumps as I allow myself to find my rhythm, I become the beat of the music, and something is jogging through me.

That day I could really see how 'comparison' and 'competition' will only ever be mediocre, and how Living On Purpose (LOP) is the only way I will ever feel fulfilled. We may try and fill ourselves up by being better than someone else, but the best I can possibly ever be doing that is "I am that person plus a bit better." With LOP I am fulfilled because I am "filled up with Me."

 

LOP is finding MY rhythm, MY pace, MY truth and letting it have its way with me.

Living On Purpose is being Deviant

I have read a couple books about the great philosophers and thinkers. What intrigued me more than their individual philosophies was that each one of them was really a deviant, meaning they were willing to deviate from what was the norm of their time, and because of that moved us forward in our evolution.

I can't help thinking that as we become better and better at being who we really are (WWRA), we too are going to most likely be deviating from the norm. Granted some may find that their experience of LOP fits nicely within the box of what is, but my guess is that for many of us we are going to be sticking our toe outside the box, and deviate from that which is most widely believed (which can feel a little uncomfortable).

But because of our willingness to be deviant, we will be contributing our geniusness to the whole of who we are and continuing the evolution -- very exciting!

So go ahead, be your wonderful 'deviant' self.

I love seeing your unique, pure expression called YOU.

Do you want a J-O-B or to L-O-P?

I have never held a J-O-B for longer than a year. I'd start to feel like I couldn't breathe and I'd move on. I use to think something was seriously wrong with me because my family example was that you get a job for life.
Once I was able to stop judging myself, I realized I loved variety and freedom -- they are expressions of who I really am (WIRA). I became a contract worker, which felt much more like ME, it was how I could be Living On Purpose (LOP).
My success lies in the expression of my inner-directed intuition, not my outer-directed shoulds. However, that does not mean that my outer-directed shoulds won't lead me to my inner-directed knowing. All roads lead to WIRA, I am never off my 'path'.

What do you know for sure about your path?

Who are you unedited?

When I am not Living On Purpose (LOP) I can end up second guessing myself. When I second guess myself I edit or water down WIRA. When I edit or water down WIRA I am not expressing my truth. When I don't express my truth I don't feel good. So, if I want to feel good, I have no choice but to go out into my world unedited.

Who are you unedited?

Suppression Becomes Depression

As a teenager I was diagnosed as being clinically depressed. Obviously, I was not LOP, and I didn't even have the words to describe what was wrong or what I wanted. All I knew was I wanted to be happy and it didn't seem like there was anyone who understood, that were talking about such things, or knew how to help me.

Although that experience was, at the time, hell on earth for myself and those around me, I would not give it up for anything now. The learning I received from it continues to light my path. My definition of depression is, "if I SUPpress who I really am long enough I become DEpressed." I was so busy trying to be all that I thought I was suppose to be, I started to drown and suffocate. And yet some little voice knew that there was something more.

Since then that little voice has told me to go backpacking in Australia, it has told me to marry someone from another country that I had only known for a few months, it has told me when to let go of being right about something (not that I always listen), it has told me when to move forward (even if I then ignore it). And so far it has never been wrong.

What is your little voice saying to you?

Living On Purpose With Sandi

This page is about sharing our moment by moment experiences of Living On Purpose (LOP) -- remembering, having faith in and expressing who we really are (WWRA).

I believe we all want to LOP because LOP means feeling good, and I've never met anyone who wakes up saying, "Gee I really want to have a miserable day today." And, I believe our success in feeling good lies in us being who we really are, our unique genius self, because I will never be better than someone else at being them (whoever it is I admire or idolize), and no one can do ME as well as I can.

However, some days/moments/months I may find myself forgetting WIRA, and listening to other's experiences may help me remember. Or, I may find I am ready to get to the other side of an issue and someone else's insights may trigger the 'Ah Ha!' that I was looking for.

Together we are powerful, we are clear, we are momentum, we are focused, moving in the direction of WWRA.

Thanks for joining in!
Sandi