Sparks

Do you ever feel like you are just a part of the rat race, taking care of business, or going through the motions?  This is a reminder! A growth opportunity!  Your inner "god/ goddess" is trying to tell you that you need to do some soul searching.  You need to find your spark.  If you go to the self-help section of any book store, you will find lots of books about "finding meaning in 2nd part of life", etc.  Society sends us the message that we should just be "okay" with the monotony; it is just part of life and we have to deal with it.  Well, guess what?  We don't have to wait until we retire to find our spark.  We can and should evaluate our lives periodically to see if we are making choices that nurture our sparks.  You may be so deep into the monotony that you don't know what your sparks are, or what a spark is for that matter, so let's go over the basics:

• A spark is something inside you that is good, beautiful, and useful to the world.  Sparks give your life energy and purpose. 
• Sparks come in 3 different types: Something you are good at, Something you care deeply about, or a Quality that you know is special.
• They can take many forms, such as Creative Arts,  Athletics, Learning, Reading, Helping, Serving, Volunteering, Religion, Spirituality, Nature, Ecology, the Environment, Being committed to living in a specific way, Animal Welfare, or Leading
•  Characteristics of sparks:
  -Gives energy & joy; something to look forward to exploring
  - When expressed, we feel alive, useful, like life has purpose, we feel like we are drawing on our best potential
  - Loss of sense of time, in the moment
  -Originates from within a person, not imposed from the outside
  - Can be a skill, talent, interest, way of being in the world; when expressed we are not worried about how good we are or how it looks to others; just doing or being it is enough
  - Gift or reason for being
  - Prime source of meaning, self-directed action, and purpose
  - Has the potential to make the world a better place for others

Once you discover (or rediscover) your spark, perseverance is key to keeping it.  Remember:

• Don't give up when things get tough
• Strive for excellence, not perfection
• Get perspective by thinking of the long term or the big picture
• Learn from mistakes or failures
• Take actions, even small ones, rather than procrastinating

Sparks give your life joy, energy, and direction, so it is important to keep them alive.  So, next time you are feeling the monotony of life beating you down, reframe it.  Instead, think of it as life reminding you to find & nurture your spark.  IGNITE IT!