3 Ways to Bring Vitality and Purpose to Your Life

In order to succeed in life we have to show up, says Elaine Smookler. With mindfulness, we dare to be fully present for all the ups and downs.

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It’s easy to imagine that our voices don’t count. That we don’t matter, that nothing will change. Who knows what might be possible if we began to matter to ourselves? It’s so easy to feel that reaching up, reaching out, or reaching in is not worth the effort. Recognize that these ideas are mind traps. Rise up!

1. Commit to Your Vision

David and Goliath is a story of how one young man, with pluck, good aim, and timing discovered a DIY, low-cost method to use an Etsy-worthy slingshot to slay a giant. Mindfulness practice is how we develop pluck, good aim, and timing to aid in our springing up and overcoming the giants with gusto!

One of my personal life mottos is that if anything can stop you, you will be stopped. Recalling this idea has supported me in difficult moments when I have thought, Is this challenge going to be the one that stops me? No!

2. Puzzle Out Your Problems

For most of us, the giant that we need to slay, or at least form an alliance with, is the giant habit of passivity. It is very easy to be lulled into the grayness of disengagement when Netflix and TikTok are so tantalizingly easy to digest.

It takes grit to engage with our lives. Ideally, as part of early childhood development, we would have had many opportunities to meet challenging situations and learn the joy of puzzling things out for ourselves. We fall down, we get back up again. When kids do this, there’s usually a lot of laughter involved, often followed by them wanting to climb or run or dare again. Let yourself go for it! And fail, and go for it again.

3. Notice Everyday Synchronicity

When you feel ignited and connected to your life, other people notice. You’re on fire! It’s very attractive to see someone switched on. Watch for auspicious coincidences, sometimes known as serendipity. These are the seemingly random happenings that show up to support your journey. They’re everywhere! Notice what’s coming your way.

The big takeaway is: To succeed at life, show up for your life. That is fully your choice. Engage with the ups and downs, the scrapes and breaks, the moments of genius and moments spent hiding under the kitchen table. Just show up. It’ll change the world for all of us.

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