Saturday Journaling Prompt:

What matters most to me in life? What would I be willing to fight for? Die for?

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Forgetting What Matters!

Samantha was the quintessential party queen. Her entire life revolved around shopping for the latest designer clothes, getting glammed up, and hitting the club, bar, or whatever shindig took her fancy. When she wasn’t out on the town, you’d find her hanging out with friends, watching TV, or mindlessly absorbed on social media, trying desperately to satisfy an agonizing boredom.

His favorite thing in the world was music. He learned to play the trumpet when he was eleven but Jonathan’s job was quite demanding so he rarely had time to practice his most cherished possession. Every now and again he would pull out his music box from under the bed, just to remind himself of how good he was. It was full of songs he had written a few years ago that he never did anything with, except make a storage box, to collect dust.

Althea is a fighter. She survived an acrimonious divorce, a heart-wrenching job loss, a traumatic health challenge, and most recently, a move to a brand new city. Life was starting to look good again for Althea, even though she had given up most of her charity and community work. She kind of settled into a safe, sedentary, and somewhat bland lifestyle, that was comfortable enough, though feelings of selfishness and sloth were always lurking in the background.

Fulfillment Is Not On The Outside

We fill our lives with gadgets and gear and everything else that keeps us on the go. We overeat, binge on tv, and shop till we drop. We’re either in a state of total avoidance, neurotic pre-occupation, or altogether numbed-out. The human mind is always seeking, searching, looking for more and more ways to stimulate and satisfy its sensory desires. We feel safe in our comfort zone and sexy in that red satin dress. We are Gods in our convertibles, Kings in our castles, and our Instagram followers are the icing on the cake. We pull and tug trying to fit into smaller-size jeans or something that we’re not, or just fit with the norms and expectations of society. We communicate in emojis, thumbs up to express, and bare our hearts and soul in abbreviated text. We spend all our time, spending all our money on things that are fleeting and never really keep us filled up. It just leaves us yearning, desperate, and programmed to continue the pursuit, fill the void, and top up the bottomless pit. Still, we’re left empty inside and as hard as we try to fill the hole, we end up, unfulfilled.

Finding fulfillment is not an external endeavor but in the journey of learning and growth. It is not found in the fun, fast and easy. It is experienced in becoming skillful and mastering your craft. Fulfillment is not sex in the city, it’s your technical, writing, or marketing savvy that distinguishes you above the rest. It’s not in transitory pursuits but in the lifelong commitment you make to improving and bettering your life. It’s in the things you value, that truly matter and lead with grace and meaning.

Fulfillment doesn’t live in the comfort zone, it lives in moments of courage and confidence when you step outside and face your adversities, pursue your dreams and express your creativity.

It’s Found In The Doing

If you’re looking for fulfillment in elegant words, you’ll be sorely disappointed. You see, it’s a verb, found in the ‘doing’ and embedded in your values and your purpose. As they all come together, you feel alive, invincible, and fulfilled, right up to the brim.

Fulfillment is not sitting safely at home, and neither is it in the familiar. You’ll know it as deep inner gratitude for the opportunity to make a difference in the world. A light that lightens the load for others. You’ll recognize it in your humanity, touching and transforming community. A humble reminder in your heart of the intrinsic connection to something bigger than yourself. So that when you leave this earth, your legacy will inscribe ‘I was here…’ and your contribution will continue on.

Fulfillment is more easily available than you think – It All Starts With YOU!

Here are 5 questions to help you find more fulfillment and be happier in life.

1. What really matters to me in life? What do I value above all else?
2. How could I live these values more on a daily basis?
3. When do I ‘give in’ instead of standing up for myself or what’s right?
4. Where do I already have everything I need?
5. What makes me feel alive? How could I be or do more of that?

Ponder these questions over the week ahead. Journal around them to go deeper.

JOURNALING

Sometimes you feel so overwhelmed and consumed by events happening around you that you need to find perspective, an outlet, and a healthy way to process what is unfolding. Journaling is the knight in shining armor that provides a safe space to lay your head, and a means to garner control. It is an effective self-help tool to help prioritize problems, fears, and concerns. It allows you to step back and assess events objectively and come up with an action plan to counteract overwhelming events and situations that come up in your life. Journaling works well in identifying patterns of negative self-talk and to make sense of thoughts and emotions. You gain a deeper understanding of your priorities, triggers, behaviors, accomplishments, goals, dreams, and pretty much anything and everything else that makes you who you are. Journal regularly. Don’t be afraid to lay it all out. Make it matter and make it a fun and consistent practice that you’ll discover is a tremendous plus for your mental health and wellbeing.

With grace and gratitude

Michelle

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