What sets your heart on fire?

Although I did not choose this road on which I am traveling, I can choose to strip my path of as many obstacles and limitations, and forge forth.

#101DaysOfCreativity #DailyMiniManifesto#ChronicIllnessAwareness #LupusAwareness 

What sets your heart on fire... person, place, possession, or pursuit? 

One important aspect of harnessing your personal power is to know what you are passionate about.

If someone were to ask you, “What sets your heart on fire? What gets you excited about life?” How would you answer that question?

It is so easy to get lost in the day-to-day routine of life and get bogged down with the drudgery of our daily schedules. Yet, when we begin to connect with our passions, it totally transforms our lives – not to mention the way it can transform the world!

Several years ago when I was in my deepest personal despair, I would not have been able to tell you what I was passionate about. I had just been diagnosed with lupus,  and was facing a future that I had not planned for, one that involved chronic illness and a lot of doctors.  It took quite a journey before I was able to get back into a mode where I was painting or doing something creative.

I knew what had made me excited in the past – painting, sculpting, traveling, teaching, homeschooling - but, for a while I was so caught up in my own personal misery, worry and my fear, that I lost sight of how to incorporate these passions into my life.  Then one day I realized that although my life had changed due to this illness, it did not mean that my life had ended.  I learned how to reinvent my life and use my illness as a bouncing board for new gifts.  I learnt that I still loved writing....so I started to write about my illness and discovered that this was helping others who were battling lupus as well.

In the past few years I have reconnected to my passion again.  I started to paint again, and recently started a 101 Days Of Creativity challenge.

I wake up every day flooded with ideas, creativity and joy for the work I’m doing. Now I can’t imagine what my life would feel like without doing those things that make my heart beat faster, my blood flow more quickly and get me smiling non-stop throughout the day.

If you are stuck in a rut in life, this is great time t ask yourself some questions.  The year has barely begun.

Take some time to reflect on these questions:

• What do I absolutely love to do (or what have I loved to do in the past)?
• Have I ever felt my heart start pounding when I was about to do something I loved? If so, what was it?
• As a teenager, what causes or issues was I passionate about? As an adult, what causes get my attention?
• Have I ever done volunteer work that brought me joy and great satisfaction?
• Is there an activity that I do or have done in the past that helped me feel “in the flow?

We are always a question away from finding something that excites us. 

Take the time to consider these questions and ideas. Jump out of the routine.
Instead of watching TV, call an organization that you might want to volunteer for.

Shake up your life! 
Do something that is out of the ordinary!

The more of us who have our hearts set on fire for life, the more beautiful our World will become – for we will bring smiles, new energy and fresh creativity to each day!