I get comments, more often than I expect, from people who say I have a “charmed” life. It always surprises me a bit, because I always thought of someone having a “charmed” life as somehow falling into it. Being born rich, beautiful or both comes to mind. And that ain’t me!
When people say it to me, I also detect something else. A bit of envy. Maybe they just want to make me feel good, but I think there’s more to it than that. I think that when we see someone who is living a life that appears better than our own, there is a undeniable yearning – “why can’t I have that too?” Then there is that familiar rationalization that pops in our mind…”she’s lucky,” or “he’s charmed”…with the accompanying resignation that we are not.
Let me share a little secret…I created this “charmed life.” So the real question is not, “Are you living a ‘charmed’ life?” Rather, it’s “Are you creating one?”
I have made very deliberate and purposeful choices over the years so that I can have the things that I want. For me, that means:
- I take at least four months off a year (and rarely work a 40-hour week when I do work).
- I work from anywhere, so I’m not tethered down to one location.
- I do work that I’m passionate about that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of my clients.
- I travel and take time to enjoy the amazing world around me.
- I create deep and strong relationships with the ones I love.
- I push myself physically for health (but also for the satisfaction of having a strong, fit body).
- I pursue my artistic interests to channel my creativity and express my inner voice.
- I connect to a spirituality that grounds me and gives me both an appreciation and a sense of wonder for all that is and will be.
- I develop my strengths and cultivate new skills and knowledge so that I can continually grow and develop.
- I make a meaningful contribution to the world through charitable work that betters the community and the lives of others.
I share these things to illustrate that these are conscious choices that I chose and then created. They did not happen over night. And they are always a work in progress. For each bullet point above, there are many others. There are also specific dreams, goals and action plans that all fit into my overall vision.
Creating that vision is a process too. It’s stripping away the expectations of others and getting to your authentic desires. It’s finding your place in the world and determining how you can bring meaning and purpose with your own gifts.
It won’t happen miraculously on it’s own. You have to do the hard work to discover it. And then, you have to make it happen.
Footnote: If you’re serious about having your own version of a “charmed” life, check out the next U-Factor program.
