WHAT AM I DOING TO LIVE LIFE WITH PASSION, HEALTH AND ENERGY?

This is the last question in my series of six questions I found on a website about how to get more out of life.

I've often said that playing the piano is my greatest passion in life. It doesn't matter to me that I'm not the world's greatest pianist—I'll certainly never be a finalist in a Van Clibrun competition. I get enjoyment and find much passion from playing the piano and from sharing my art with others. I'm probably better than I give myself credit, but we are often our own worst critic. My other passion is the people in my life who provide so much enrichment to me. I am blessed beyond measure with relationships which bring to me so much laughter and joy. The relationships bring so much love to me—love unexpected.

I don't work out as often as I should. The wii fit balance board sits there next to the TV stand gathering dust. Oh, I have the best of intentions. I'm going to get up earlier and start working out each morning. However, the warm bed and a few more minutes of sleep always win out in the end. So, in a physical sense, I'm not doing a lot to keep myself healthy. Mentally, however, I'm working very hard to grow and overcome fears, frustrations and hang-ups. I do this by taking my medication and taking the advice of my counselor. I've come a long way in the last couple of years, but I must keep going. I am learning to set boundaries in my life, learning it's ok to say no and learning to let go of baggage. There's only so much you can do sometimes—and there comes the time you have to just accept things as they are and say "it is what it is." You get up, you dust yourself off and move on with life. That not only provides mental health, but also leads me into the next part of the question—energy. See, freeing myself up from the things that are holding me back mentally, emotionally and allowing the healing to come to me in that area of life frees up a tremendous amount of energy. When I reached the point of letting go of the things that are holding me back, I found valuable time, precious energy and happiness—a happiness found only in contentment with myself.

Here's my confession: These six questions have caused a lot of introspection for me. I hope they have caused a lot for you, my reader, as well. I've found most of them to be very difficult to write, simply because I didn't know exactly how to approach each of these topics. Yet, in writing them, I've found a tremendous amount of knowledge about myself. In writing them, I've let you into my life more deeply, while I've only scratched the surface. I'm on a road right now that is leading to lots of wonderful changes in my life. I'm on a road to discovery, to happiness and to freedom within. I have a magnet at my desk that says "Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about CREATING yourself." That's the road I'm on...the road that leads to creation of a better me—and, in turn, a better friend, a better servant, a better employee and a better human. Stay tuned. I have a feeling I'm just getting started.