For most of my life I have wanted my life to be about something and feared that I would never attain what I wanted the most.  Consequently, there have been times when I have been chasing the dream but not appreciated the “Now”.  I knew that I had so much to offer but often felt like a bird in a cage.

I recently came upon a quotation and it certainly put things in perspective:

“This is the true joy in life – being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap, being a force of Nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.” -George Bernard Shaw

Through my own teachings and understandings, I don’t often go to that place any more.  I understand that the world is not especially lined up to make me happy, that is up to me.  My happiness is not dependant on getting what I want or even winning “the game of life”.

What brings happiness to me is doing something that matters to me and not making that happiness dependent on how things turn out.   A common mistake people make is to think that their purpose has to be something ‘mighty’, something big or grand or life changing, when the truth is that it can often be smaller or gentler than that and still mean just as much. So, my advice is to be “used for a purpose recognised by yourself as something that matters.”

So how about living in the “Now” and do something that matters to you.  Here’s what I want you to do.  Ask yourself:-

• What didn’t you do?
• What mistakes did you make?
• What do you regret?
• What can you do differently?
• What change in attitude or intention can you make?
• What will you change about how you go about your life?

I love the idea of being thoroughly worn out before you’re thrown on the scrap heap, and it’s only when you let go of those ‘ailments and grievances’ and embrace your nature that you’re able to figure out what really matters.