What does it mean to LIVE?

So the final pillar of Signýficant Living (which you will recall is to consciously and fearlessly live a life of meaning, passion and purpose) is … well … LIVE.

Share who you are with the world! Proudly.

I’m talking about living your life out loud (not hiding your light under a bushel). Sharing who you are with the world (whatever part of the world feels right for you, that is). Proudly. And with umph. Bringing all of you, not just the part that seems acceptable. Living true to yourself, who you really are, in line with what is really important to you, so that this life has meaning, and is on purpose for you. So that each day is fulfilling, not just when you reach some lofty goal, but now, right … NOW.

To live, really living, is to be successful and REAL. Because if it’s not real, as part of that success, then it is not really success. Too often we chase success, but it is a success that is defined by what other people think is important, or what we see as acceptable in the confines of our peer group. If it isn’t true for you, it won’t fill you up. It won’t have meaning. For it to be alive, fully alive for you, it needs to make your heart sing.

• So what is real living for you?
• What has meaning for you?
• And what brings you FULLY alive?

Now obviously I feel this way because I had to choose to be alive, actively. I had to fight for it in a way that many of us don’t. And so when I did, when that choice was put to me, I chose FULLY ALIVE. But I don’t think that is a choice that we should be putting off until we “have” to pick one way or another, until our life is threatened. Rather it should be a daily choice. And a conscious choice. And finally an active choice.

And that really is up to us. We can look at each day, each choice, and check in to see if it brings us more fully alive, OR puts us to sleep, has us be smaller than we really are, than we were born to be. And we can start to course correct. In big or small ways. Obviously I tend to the big ways, because that is more dramatic, and that is way more FUN for me. But that is a choice, one that is in line with who I am – but small is just as important and just as legit. You have to find your path, your way, what really lands and works for YOU.

Finding your path is a one day, one step at a time process. But make no mistake – it starts NOW. Because waiting for someday, waiting for that one thing or one person to turn around … is still just waiting. Which you will notice is NOT one of the pillars of Signýficant Living.

So choose your life. Choose to live it. Fully.

Because if you are not living your life, what are you doing with it?

That question was rhetorical, but here are two that I do want to know the answers to…

• When do you feel fully alive?
• How can you get more of that in your day?

Please share your answers with me below in the comments.