Living Intentionally.

Oh how true this is. I have always known who I am at my deepest core. I am a giver. I am a servant (not in a religious fashion). My goal in life since I was a child was to help people and make the world a better place. The problem was that I felt there were so many ways in which to do this that I felt lost in my life's purpose. How do I help others and help the world in the most fulfilling way possible? Where do I start?

I think starting is the hardest part of anything. Knowing where to line up takes patience and time. Here I am now at the age of 29 and it's finally happening. I have finally begun to figure out from where I need to launch. I made a promise to myself that this year would be it. It would be the year in which everything changes. It had to. I have felt stagnant for too long, felt too afraid to really seek and jump. Then something happened at the end of last year. I met someone who would become a huge advocate for the changes I needed to make, a friend who has grown to be so dear to me and I to him. He was the force I needed to have standing behind me, pushing me constantly to challenge myself and live my life with intention.

Intention (n): a determination to act in a certain way : resolve; significance

Yes, I can now say that I am honestly living my life with intention. How did I do it? There isn't a right or wrong way. You have to do what you feel is best for you in your present situation. What worked for me is:

1. Figure out what you're passionate about and do it. For me I knew I was passionate about wellness, nutrition and fitness. I decided to become a certified personal trainer to start so I enrolled in a five week program at the local community college. It's a great launching pad in this field and I've been learning that this field is as wide open as they come. I can do basically anything I would like to do.
2. Make the necessary changes that are in line with this passion. Probably the scariest thing I have ever done, I recently resigned from the job I've held for over seven years without having a solid platform to fall back on. I haven't ever felt so irresponsible yet so free. I can now reinvent myself. I can work any job, become anything I want to be without restriction. I am no longer tied to a position that does not serve or fulfill me.
3. Don't give up! I have my moments of doubt and impatience. I am human and I have fears. But how we use that fear is important. I've chosen to turn it around and face it head on. I have no idea what lies ahead for me and I fully embrace that. I embrace all of the unknown possibilities because I know they will be presented with purpose. Every situation with which we are faced is a lesson to learn and to grow. I have been extremely blessed with support, encouragement and love. That helps to keep me on my feet when I feel like falling down.

The next few weeks are going to be a true testament to my personal strength and my drive toward living a life of meaning. I am both terrified and excited for what's to come.