At the end of one of the first talks I gave on Organizational Zen, a participant said he understood that if he wanted to stop wasting time it would be great to have a larger goal in mind.

It’s just that he didn’t have any bigger work to do. He had raised his children and run a successful business, and as a retiree, felt like no one needed him anymore. He asked how he should spend the last years of his life.

Oh, my. No one can answer that question for you; it’s something that comes from inside and only you can bring it to life.

But here are a few thoughts if you are also missing your “Why”.

1. Stop what you’re doing, take a breath, close your eyes, and just be quiet for a few moments. Keep breathing and let your mind rest. Now ask your guides, ask the Universe, ask yourself: What’s my greater good? How can I be the most helpful? What pathway should I be on?
2. You may see an image. You may have a stray thought dart through your mind that you laugh off. You may just listen to silence. So ask again.
3. When you get answers, even glimmers of answers be grateful and say “Thank you.”
4. When you open your eyes, look at what’s in front of you. Really look at what’s in front of you.
5. Jot down any ideas that come up even if you think they’re crazy. Crazy, stray thoughts can lead to huge, fun ideas.
6. Need more to jog your heart? Think back to who you were when you were five. You weren’t trying to be anyone. You didn’t care how you looked or what people thought of you. What did you do that was fun? How did you dress? Were you running around? Making things out of clay? Drawing? Laughing? Telling stories? Eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on white bread?  Try easing back into that mindset and see if it frees up some energy to dream big. Who were you before you got all packaged up by life?
7. Try an energy audit. What do you do now that lifts your energy the most? Can you do more of that?
8. I was talking with a friend tonight who said the question that got her thinking about her “why” was “What brings you joy?” So… what brings you joy? And how can you bring more of that into your life?

Having something you want to get done because it comes from your core helps you get focused and helps you prioritize your time. If you don’t know your “why”, ask! And please find your joy. No one can do it for you.

Today I found great joy visiting the Duomo in Siena, Italy. Ciao!