Photo courtesy of Jano Kray

The ultimate journey in life is to remember who we truly are and live our lives to their fullest potential.

It sounds simple enough and yet, an extraordinary life takes equal measures of courage, faith and love. I have found in my own life, and as a coach, that accessing the full power of these three elements is a life-long pursuit. It demands a mindfulness and attitude of sanctity that grows in direct proportion to the discipline and devotion with which we live.   

As this year begins, meet it with a robust vigor and commitment to happiness and peace.  Discover or remember, whichever the case may be, your unique gifts and share them with the world in ways that only you can.

The great American poet, Mary Oliver, wrote of the transformative experience of boldy entering and living an extraordinary life in this poem:

The Journey

One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice

Though the whole house began to tremble and you felt the old tug at your ankles.

“Mend my life!” each voice cried.

But you didn’t stop. You knew what you had to do, though the wind pried with its stiff fingers at the very foundations, though their melancholy was terrible.

It was already late enough, and a wild night, and the road full of fallen branches and stones. But little by little, as you left their voices behind, the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds,

And there was a new voice which you slowly recognized as your own, that kept you company as you strode deeper and deeper into the world,

Determined to do the only thing you could do-

Determined to save the only life that you could save.

Fulfillment does not come soliciting us. We must pursue it relentlessly and fearlessly. It always starts with a first step, however small or big. Once we have taken it, we have set into motion the artistry of life unfolding. We have entered the unknown, time to fasten our safety belts. There will be voices around us and inside of us that will shout their bad advice and the wind will indeed pry with its stiff fingers at our very foundations.

We will come face to face with our failures and our doubts.

“It was already late enough and a wild night, and the road full of fallen branches and stones”.

Refuse to concede to anxiety and worries of failure. Instead, be all in. Live your life extraordinarily and with no regrets. Live it true and live it with a passionate reverence and appreciation for every moment, for all too quickly, and often by surprise, the blessed gift is over.