Discovering Your Life Purpose: Living the Life You Were Born to Live
Is your life filled with purpose? Every single one of us has a reason for being here on the planet right now, and every one of us has a unique contribution that no one else can make. It’s the reason you were born. Are you living the life you were born to live? This inspiring life purpose training takes you on a journey of exploration and evaluation. Course includes interactive web tools and meditations for living with purpose. Ask yourself the right questions and unveil answers that may surprise you. [Learn more]

The news around the world today is both exciting and frightening. In the Middle East, we see people bravely fighting for their rights, some of them dying in the process. In our own country, people are demonstrating as well – struggling to maintain their rights in the face of corporate and governmental actions that gravely affect their lives. We see natural disasters like the recent earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan, financial turmoil worldwide, rampant injustice, and outright cruelty.

How can we stay positive and feel good about life when we’re faced with such pain? What can we do right now to help transform the world? One thing we can do is to strive to love ourselves more. Judeo-Christian backgrounds would tell us this is a selfish pursuit. But nothing transforms the world more than self-love. With self-love, you generate an inner peace and joy that affects every person you encounter. With self-love, your cup runs over, and your capacity to love others increases. That’s the great thing about love, the source is limitless; it never empties.

How can you generate more self love?
One of the easiest ways is to see yourself through the eyes of those who love you. If you feel comfortable, tell those you’re closest to that you are working on loving yourself more, and ask them to tell you what they love about you. Close your eyes, and imagine seeing yourself the way others do, without your own judgments and demands.

Another simple way to love yourself more is to think about those you love most. Feel that love. Imagine yourself sending that love energy to these people. Then, take that love energy and turn it back toward yourself. Is it hard to accept? If so, keep trying until you feel you can really allow yourself to let it in. Imagine loving yourself as much as you love these special people in your life.

Another thing to remember when opening to more love is to catch yourself expecting perfection – both of yourself and others. Don’t judge yourself harshly when you make a mistake or say something that may hurt someone else’s feelings. Say you’re sorry, make amends as necessary, and learn from the experience. But then, remind yourself that no one is perfect and that the expectation is impossible. Forgive yourself, and move on.

Finally, a great way to love yourself more is to tap into the universal source of love. God, your angels, and your spirit guides love you unconditionally. In meditation, begin to connect with this source and ask to be filled with that unconditional love. Imagine your angels showering you with rose petals in appreciation for all of your positive efforts in the world.

Then, take that universal love and simply imagine channeling it out in the universe wherever it’s needed. Send it to the Middle East, to Wisconsin, to New Zealand, to Japan, to the Congo, to Darfur, to the economics giants to help them make sound judgments, to people experiencing foreclosures – where ever people are suffering or need the strength to act with integrity and for the greater good of all. You don’t have to know how to do it. There’s no “right” way. Just have the intention of sending out the light and the love, and that will be enough.

Once you have sent energy outward, bring the attention back to you, and do something nice for yourself. Give yourself a day or even an hour to do nothing but what your heart calls you to do. Play some special music that you love or that reminds you of a wonderful time in your life. Take a long, luxurious bath. Do a massage exchange with a friend. Draw a picture with a child.  Do whatever will nurture you in the best possible way.

And when your birthday comes this year, truly celebrate YOU. Let go of false humility, and no matter what is happening in the world around you, see yourself as the divine and magnificent being you are!