The amount of information available to us online or in the bookstores discussing the topic of happiness and the pursuit thereof is overwhelming.  Despite the abundance of content available to us on the subject, our society as a whole continually struggles to discover its “Happiness”.   What is happiness?  According to Webster’s some apt synonyms are pleasure, contentment, satisfaction, well-being, enjoyment, and many more.  Where does happiness come from?  It is a state of being.  Here is the struggle for most of us – we pursue happiness as though it is an object of our desire to be received upon completion of the next task.  When we get this or after we achieve that, then we will be happy.  This is what media and marketing desires of us.  Never be content or satisfied with what you have but continually stress & strive for what you don’t have because that will make you happy.  We are constantly...

During the last six months, I have been orchestrating a shift in my business strategy and focus.  I keep asking myself – Why?  Why would I change?  Why should I change?  Why do I need more?  Why am I so obsessed with growth?  Sometimes I just do not have an answer for why.  I guess that is okay.  Do you ask yourself why regularly?  Such a simple question can trigger a profound shift in our perspective.  Why do we have to do it this way?  Why am I going to work?  Why do we teach our kids the way we teach them?

THWL

The more often we ask “Why” the better are our chances of avoiding “The Hamster Wheel of Life” (THWL).  Maybe you are not familiar with THWL.  Here is a typical day on THWL – Get up after hitting snooze multiple times, rush to get the kids ready for school and ourselves ready for work (this is not without teeth gnashing and maybe some yelling), work all day in a job...

We have determined what we want our lives to represent, identified our core values, articulated a vision statement, and affirmed our mission. Let's continue on to discovering our purpose and setting goals!

Step five – What is your purpose?  It is at about this point where we all sigh and say it all runs together!  Think of the major components of the planning process this way:  your vision (imagination) is the target or the house on the hill; the mission (action) is what you do to bring the vision to reality, and the purpose (motivation) is why you do what you do!  The purpose is more of an emotional connection to mission and vision.  We are building (action) the house (vision) for a (motivation) safe place to raise and love our family.  The purpose is why we serve and often the inspiration for getting us out of bed every morning.  When we lose sight of our purpose, we tend to flounder in a fog of dissatisfaction and seek pleasure through...

This week, we will step through establishing a clear vision, core values, and other vital elements for planning the Intentional Life!

Step Two – Now you will identify your core values or define the qualities of character that will inspire you to show up each day representing your highest self or the best version of you.  There are many character trait lists to be found on the internet.  As an example, here is a list of my core values: Integrity, Honesty, Responsibility, Wisdom, Humor, Confidence, Achievement, Good Health, Courage, Flexibility, Mindfulness, Perseverance, Discipline, Humility, and Stamina.  These words represent the best of how I want to show up every day.  Do I live up to these core values every moment of every day?  Nope, not even close, but I am chasing them every day.  My heart is right, and the desire to live into these core values is always present.  To be the best possible version of ourselves, we first need to...

My wife and some great friends have been planning a trip to Vermont.  There is a great deal to contemplate, decide on, and execute on when planning a family trip.  My wife does most of the heavy lifting with the plans, but it still takes two.  Here is a general outline of the steps we use for planning our vacations:

Step one is to decide where to travel for vacation.  Beach, mountains, amusement park, family, etc.  If you have options, it can take time to discuss the ideal destination for this vacation.

Step two is to decide when you are going.  Everyone grabs their calendar for a review.  If you aren’t all together, there is going to be some back and forth to decide.  This step takes some time, but eventually, all are on the same page regarding the dates for the vacation.

Step three is deciding on the accommodations.  The options are seemingly endless with VRBO and many hotels (depending on your destination).  There is...

Unconditional means “not subject to any conditions”.  Do you unconditionally love your spouse?  Do you unconditionally love your children?  Do you truly want to experience happiness and joy?  If you are being honest with yourself, the answer is no.  Our level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with our lives and relationships is directly tied to conditions.  If you disagree, do this exercise right now.  Create a list of relationships and scenarios in which you DO NOT base your satisfaction on an expectation.  We expect our spouse to act in a certain way and become disappointed or frustrated when they don’t act according to our expectations.  We expect our boss to treat us a certain way but they don’t so we become unsatisfied with the relationship.  We go out to dinner expecting a specific experience but the service or food is inconsistent with our expectations, leaving us frustrated and disappointed.

The...

Purpose in life helps to bring value and meaning to all that we do.  It is the compass that determines our heading in rough or troubled times.  When it hits the fan we can look to our Purpose to help guide our responses…And it will hit the fan!  Here is a strategy to help determine your Purpose:

Step 1: Forgive Yourself – Too often in life we carry our burdens with us from one stage to the next.  We allow them to accumulate as though these burdens are a badge of honor or battle scars that we must display.  This is selfish and irresponsible.  It prevents us from experiencing joy and happiness.  Starting today – forgive yourself for your past mistakes and forgive others that have not been genuine in their dealings with you. Carrying around that burden wastes your energy and holds you back...let it go!

Step 2:  Give Thanks  - As citizens of this great Nation, we have so much to be thankful for.  One key...