On Purpose

"What would it be like if you were to live your life on purpose?"

This past weekend, I went to go visit one of my very best friends in LA, and in doing so, I had the opportunity to attend a yoga event hosted by RockYourBliss. We often talk about "living yoga off your mat," taking the practices of presence, patience and purpose into our lives. The group of us were practicing yoga that morning for a very particular and meaningful cause to Kick Cancer's Asana, which in itself, was powerful. However, in true yoga spirit, every theme, action or thought can be applied to our own lives if we are willing to let it. Jacki planted a seed of wisdom within the first three minutes of the 90-minute event, asking each of us to contemplate the concept of purposeful action, specifically when it comes to the act of living. 

"In what areas of your life are you living on purpose?"

It sounds really easy in the same way sitting still for five minutes on our yoga mats does (in theory). However, beneath the body contortions, inversions and intricate sequence of poses, the greatest challenge in a yoga class is, more often than not, sitting in stillness. Because suddenly, there I am again-- bumping into myself, with nothing more to do than feel my heart beat, hear my breath flow and watch my thoughts appear and vanish. Yet, the more I sit, the more aware I become that no one can live my life for me, which is why I must say, "yep, I did that on purpose"---

I live on purpose by loving and acting with purpose.

And then it dawns on me as I let this seed of wisdom grow its roots within my mind: I tend to complain, worry and agonize about the future more than I focus my attention, or my purpose, on the present. To live life on purpose means to stop making excuses; to stop wondering "what if," and instead, start creating a reality fueled by intention and passion. 

Sometimes the simplest of ideas seem to appear the most complex of actions. Yet, if every simple idea were easy to execute, everyone would have it all figured out by now-- life wouldn't be the adventure it is if this were the case. Do you wish to watch the adventure with distant eyes or experience the adventure with focused ambition?  I vote for the experience.

In yoga, we often say, "breathe the breath," and/or "sit with stillness." The act of living is simplistic in this same, sort of complex way, in that it is less about living a life of purpose, and more about doing so on purpose.

By the end of class, I answered the original question: 

Choosing to live, on purpose, every day makes me my own dreamcatcher. 

And with that, I live alive.

Thank you for planting this seed of simplicity into my heart.