Last week, my family and I walked through the gates of the happiest place on earth – Disneyland. We had eagerly anticipated this day for months and were looking forward to walking Main Street, Riding Thunder Mountain and seeing the parade. But mostly, we were there for a feeling. With our hopes high and our smiles on, we navigated the crowds, dodged strollers, waited in lines, exchanged an unheard of amount of money for clam chowder bread bowls, and leaned in, to experience the coveted feeling that Walt’s dream promises.
And we got it. Or some of it. Much of it was our mindset and our choice to get THE experience we paid for. We sang during “It’s a Small World” and wished on a star. We rode in the front car on Space Mountain. We ate pineapple treats at the Tikki Room. We laughed and joked. But at the end of the day we were done and ready to go home.
After 13 hours, tired and worn out, we ate dinner in a McDonald’s parking lot, watching the fireworks overhead. We’d had a good day with no major meltdowns and the feeling that we’d paid for in our pockets.
As I lay in bed that night, I was thankful for my life. My real life. The one that I get to experience every day. The one that makes me excited. The one that feeds my soul and my purpose. I’ll be the first to admit that I love Disneyland and all of its promises. But the truth is, my daily experiences are just as enjoyable as riding Dumbo and walking on Main Street with my kids. I don’t NEED an outside experience to feel the goodness of what life offers. I have that every day in my home, with my husband, with my kids, with my friends, and in my career. And it wasn’t always like that. I used to chase after feelings to soften my circumstances.
Are you chasing a feeling? What would it take for you to live in a space where the happiest place on earth was the life that you were living?
This holiday season I encourage you to stop chasing and to start creating. Embrace the feeling you want. Live it. Get it. Not just for one day or season. Make it your life. Do it now. Seize the day. You don’t know how many you have left. What’s your life’s purpose? Isn’t it time you found out?
If you are interested in making 2017 your very best year, schedule a complimentary 30-minute discovery session to find out your life’s purpose.
Stop chasing. Start living.
