Happy (Almost) Independence Day!

Any company producing a product called “Fired Up” should address the queen of all fired up holidays: the 4^th of July aka Independence Day!

Of course, we know it as the day that the “United States of America” finally signed the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming our separation from Great Britain. (I understand it was actually signed July 2, but needed to be edited for 2 days – another story.)

A mere 1,337 handwritten words including headings with 56 signatures announced the humanitarian values of this new country as well as a list of grievances that would not be repeated. It is to this day, one of the most powerful documents in our history and changed the course of not only this fledgling country, but the world.

When I talk to entrepreneurs, the #1 reason many have stepped into their lifestyle is a quest for “independence.”

It made me think that we should all have a personal Declaration of Independence. A brief document signed by ONE (you) that, similar to the Declaration, could have 3 parts:

1. What you stand for or believe in (the need to be creative, the right to create your own livelihood, the importance of helping others, the need to be self-expressive, etc….like a personal Purpose Statement.) It will be the values your business represents as well, I would think.
2. What mistakes you have seen others make that you will not make (What you will do to live the life you stand for)
3. What you are willing to do to live the life you have been designed to live which will set you free.

As soon as I started writing this, I just knew you’d want me to give you an example, so below is a quick, fairly imperfect template that I put together for myself just to give you some thoughts:

“I, Mary Lyn Miller, do declare I believe all beings are endowed with a Divine sense of Purpose and the ability to make their Purpose come to pass through the consistent pursuit and focus on passion and joy. Passion is light through the tunnel. I have come to know it is not always an easy journey, but the one which provides the most reward, fulfillment and financial well-being, and the one I must choose in order to live an authentic life without regret.

I will not:

• Work only for money.
• Ignore my innate gifts and talents
• Distrust my instincts
• Allow myself to be too afraid to do what I need to do to move forward
• Try to do it all myself
• Forget that prayer and meditation is almost always the answer to every major need or desire (forget myself and my ego.)

I will:

• Do something that gives me passion every day.
• Realize passion and purpose is not something “to find”– it is already in me and I simply need to give it space to express.
• Do my best to stay in the moment
• End every day with a profound sense of gratitude no matter what.

What about you? What would your personal Declaration of Independence look like? Take the time over this holiday weekend to give it some thought and make some notes.

We all have to invest time to be free. Happy 4^th!

What's the First Step to Leaving Your Job?

Jane (not her real name) is sitting in her corporate cubicle wondering:

 “This is not a horrible job, and I like the steady money – I NEED the steady money – but it’s kind of mind numbing and I just don’t feel like I’m doing something that’s going to make a real difference to anyone.  This can’t be my life purpose, but I have no idea what else I can do so how am I ever going to get out of this job?  Should I make a career change? Should I start a business? I have no idea where to even begin.”

If you share Jane’s pain, this is a common dilemma.  You’re pretty sure you don’t want to continue on your present path, but how do you carve out what you DO want to do?

Willingness to have some Clarity is the first step to moving forward. Some people are afraid to get some clarity for fear that once they do, it will be required that they turn their lives upside down. Not true, because transition can take a long time, but you have to know vaguely where to aim your energy to get started.

Vaguely is the clue. You don’t have to know everything, but you do need a sense of the “essence” of what moves and inspires you.  Some of the signs to look at are what you enjoyed as a child.  Were you creative?  Were you a Lego kid who loved to build things? Were some of your best moments outdoors, in nature, or indoors playing house?  Did you have hopes and dreams that seem far away now?

Think it’s silly?  That little person is probably closer to who you truly are than what you are doing today.  You may be older, but the spirit of that kid is still inside you and always will be.  Try to remember times you were excited, stimulated or happy.

Maybe you were discouraged from doing things you loved (“you’ll never make any money doing art, find something that will be practical and make money.”) Or something uncomfortable happened when you expressed yourself so you decided to get a safe job and avoid that trauma.

Of course, there is more than childhood to look at – and that’s what I do when I work with someone is to take account of past, present and future; then get them much clearer about what will definitely work and what really doesn’t. But childhood is a great place to start.

As you start to get more of a sense of your inner passions, just BEGIN to go in that new direction.  Don’t think about a job or business yet, stay at your desk, but start doing things that have the potential to be fun. Experiment, take classes, and discard what doesn’t work. If you always follow what has energy, a passionate path will emerge.

Let me know what works for you and what you’re finding out!

7 Benefits of Finding your Purpose

We often talk about finding your purpose as a personal growth exercise or a spiritual quest which may feel somewhat removed from our daily life. While purpose certainly can be spiritual and growth oriented, a strong sense of purpose has infinitely more practical applications which promotes well being in all areas of your life.

As a teacher of life purpose and coach helping clienys create purposeful, passionate careers and businesses, I have seen the remarkable transformation when one find their purpose.

Here are just a few benefits to connecting with your purpose:

1) Self-Esteem
When you truly understand our purpose more fully, you more fully realize what you have to offer. You realize your value, and not only feel better about yourself, but are more equipped to communicate our value to others whether it is in a job interview, self-promotion or marketing a business.

2) Belonging
Purpose helps us to find our place. Once we realize what we are here to do, our sense of competition and insecurity is lessened. We have something to do that is our own. We are unique. It allows us to be more connected to ourselves and to others.


3) Clarity/Direction
Opportunities and information abound in today’s world. Without a clear sense of how and why you operate the way you do, you really can’t really grasp a solid direction. Direction does not come out of learned skills, but more out of passion, joy, a sense of calling and love. The more you know about what this means for you, the more direction you will experience.


4) Passion
Passion and purpose are inextricably linked. Purpose is defined by your passions. It’s the energy and fuel that allows you to fully express your purpose. The outcroppings of passion are laughter and fun which, interestingly, are powerfully transformational. We don’t do it nearly enough, and yet laughter and fun alone can change our lives.

5) Energy
Living with passion and purpose results in a more energetic, fired up way of life. (In case you wondered where my name came from :) Energy is the natural signal of purpose. An energy spike in your life for any reason is a positive indicator that you are headed in the right direction and living in alignment with your purpose.

6) Opportunity/Money
Purpose is a magnet for opportunity and fulfillment. Purpose and its related passion and energy become a powerful attracting force for anything on which it is focused. Despite what we've been taught, hard work is the WORST solution. Seek inspiration and flow. Flow is the key to successful, effortless living and requires letting go, relaxing and allowing. We talk about cash FLOW. Flow rarely happens if you are not grounded in a sense of purpose. We find that people who are purpose/passion powered attract everything they need, as they need it.

7) Fulfillment & Spiritual Connection
Focused purpose and expressed passion is a powerful formula for happiness and fulfillment…which is the purpose for all of our lives. The sense that we are a part of a much larger universe and that all things are orchestrated in our higher good offers a sense of trust, faith and staibility so terribly needed in tough times.

And, there is so much more!

I was thrilled to find out recently that the Beach Cities Health District designated my "Discovering Your Life's Purpose" class one of their "Live Well" classes and the featured class for Emotional Well Being.

If you would like the CD or MP3 of one of my past Life Purpose classes, go to www.firedupforsuccess.com/store