Making Every Day Matter

Recently, I read The Alchemist by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho. If you haven't read it yet, the main character, Santiago, has a dream that he must go to the pyramids of Egypt. Here, he's told, he will find a treasure waiting just for him. Inspired, he followed his calling. What he found ...Recently, I read The Alchemist by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho. If you haven't read it yet, the main character, Santiago, has a dream that he must go to the pyramids of Egypt. Here, he's told, he will find a treasure waiting just for him. Inspired, he followed his calling. What he found was, most on his path were either too afraid or became sidetracked when it came to following their own journey to what he later named the quest for a "Personal Legend."

All this got me thinking. First, what does it mean to have and find a personal legend? And how do we go about the business of following the call to our own treasure? To me it involves the simple (or not so simple) task of making every day matter. In this article then, I will aim to document what I think are several ways we can each align ourselves with our treasure. In the light of the new year, we can all do well by taking time to think about the possibilities our legend holds for us and, with this mindset, aim to make each day a meaningful one.

One: Aim To Do Something Each Day To Make It Special.
We all have circumstances in our life that are beyond our control. I'm thinking specifically of health concerns, job stress factors and balancing our relationships with others. Yet, there are always pockets of time that each of us can use to make each day special. To me, it involves a ritualistic expression of creativity.

Here's how I suggest managing this time. First, think of something that you can do each day to make it special. I can be something different each day, however, for our purposes here, I propose planning to create a daily ritual. Here's mine: Each day of this new year, I plan to sit down for one-half hour with tea and my dreams. I will use this time to write in my journal. My hope is to pen three pages each day, as Julia Cameron prescribes in her book The Artists Way. Why have I chosen this activity? It's what brings me my greatest joy. How to find your joy? Read on to objective number two.

Two: Find What Brings You Joy.
I often think of happiness in terms of energy currency and am constantly taking my energetic temperature. I believe, when we do things that bring us joy, we allow this positive energy to expand. I've written before, in effort to receive what we wish, we have to give away that something first. For example, If I long for joy, I can create joy in my life by giving "joy" away. How? By sharing what I have. And it's easy to do this time of year. For example, I can share by giving to the Salvation Army at the mall's entrance or sending care packages to the homeless. All this creates a forum for joy to expand.

Three: Express Your Creativity.
Once you've allowed your joy to expand and know what joy "feels" like, use this same ritual to expand your creativity. If you like to write or have another creative passion, try taking more time for that gift. I think you will find that it will help your inspiration grow and with it, bring along more happiness and peace to your soul. Further, and along the same lines of making every day special, look for ways you can share your creativity. If you are not sure where your creative talents lie, experiment. Take free internet classes or low cost courses at your local craft store (check out www.fabjob.com for ideas). In my experience, this activity alone will help you become closer to your own personal legend.

Four: Learn To Follow Your Heart.
Here's the true challenge. Before we can evolve, we must learn to let go of our expectations. What does letting go of expectations have to do with discovering your personal legend? Its simple. If we let go of our controlling ways (and I am speaking to myself, here) we can open ourselves to the blessings of life and allow it to show us the way. We are all gifted with a unique personal legend. Yet we must learn how to do the dance of marrying intention with inspiration to find our balance within. Life will always guide us if we let her.

Moreover, It is up to us to be aware of our circumstances and open our hearts for the answers. For as Santiago learned from the alchemist "to realize one's destiny is a person's only obligation."