“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

Did anyone ask you whether you made any new year’s resolutions this year? Did you start the new year with increased vigor and commitment to complete some projects be it personal or professional. All these are great and are a necessary part of a life well lived. However, when we only focus on “to do” lists we sometimes forget that it is important to consider how we are feeling or being as we engage in our everyday activities.For example, if having a sense of aliveness or joy in our lives is important then, activities that might contribute to that feeling might be important to engage in, not only the things we have to do or need to do to keep ourselves and our families afloat.I have noticed in my own life that the more I prioritise my health, happiness and sense of being fully alive, the easier all my projects get done. Even when I was in graduate school with a pile of papers to write and classes to attend, I found that when I prioritised a morning swim everything I had to achieve felt more fun, lighter and got accomplished much faster than if I had told myself “I don’t have time” and engaged in a more rigid and punishing road.

Exploring what contributes to our aliveness might seem like a selfish endeavour. However it is far from the truth. As Carlos Castaneda once stated, tt takes the same amount of work to consider what makes us miserable as it does to explore the path that makes us happier…. ultimately it is our choice as to which one we might want to tune into.

One word of caution. You might be tempted to put “aliveness” on your to do list and that can work in some cases I can feel very alive when I am working on a project that I love. However, it might equally show up as wanting to rest more, notice the sunsets, or appreciate the dimples that emerge as your loved ones smile that have more to do with allowing rather than doing. Feeling alive can be different for everyone and can change at different times of our lives.

For 2016, I invite you to “ask what makes you come alive and go for it”. As always your comments and questions are so very welcome.