Are You Doing What You Love?

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. --Albert Schweitzer (1875 - 1965)

We are busier than we have ever been, working long hours and feeling under more and more pressure. How do you spend your days? For many people work and pleasure are seen as separate, with work being a chore that has to be done to pay the bills. It doesn't always have to be like that. Although we don't have to love everything we do, we do need to gain some enjoyment from most of what we do. Take a moment to see if it is time to start afresh and do something you love, something that adds the pleasure factor back into your working life?

Think about what matters to you and why you do the things you do. For each person that means something different. What aspects of a job are important to you? List them. Think about your dream job. Does it motivate and inspire you? If not, think again. It has to mean something to you; otherwise you will not be prepared to put in the effort to achieve what you want. Ask: 'What am I prepared to give up to make this happen?' 'What would I love to try?' 'What options do I have?' 'What are my talents, skills and qualities?' 'How can I utilise them in my ideal job?' How can you take an idea and turn it into reality? Get creative and think through how you could make money doing what you enjoy.

Starting anew requires courage, confidence and commitment. Hold on to your sense of purpose. Believe in yourself. Ignore the critics, for there are bound to be some, and face your fears (there will many of those too!). Ask for help from those people who can assist you and get supporters to keep you motivated. Research things that interest you and, if necessary, go back to basics and learn new skills. Develop a clear vision of where you'd like to be in 10 years' time ? and why. Write it down. Be specific. This will provide you with something to focus on. Think creatively. This may not happen all of a sudden, but if you work at it gradually, day by day, it can happen.

And if starting something new is not for you, how can you love the job you already have? You can't always control your situation, but you can always choose how you react to it. Your attitude colours how you face every day and has an influence on the people around you. Choose to be positive. Are there areas of your job that you can improve on? Who can you discuss this with? Is a change to a new role in the same company an option? Examine the possibilities. Your job does not define you, but how you do it does.

And why bother? Doing what you love gives you a good reason to get up every morning. Your life will be challenging, certainly, exciting, definitely. Doing things you enjoy which give you personal fulfilment and satisfaction has been shown to contribute to good health and longevity. Don't wait for perfect circumstances to start. Begin now!

Kate Harper is based in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland. Check out her website http://www.harpercoaching.com

She works with people who are fed up with moaning about their lives and have decided to do something about it. If that is you, please have a look at Kate's website. She is happy to work with people from any part of the world.

"The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult." Madame Marie du Deffand

Take your first step today and contact Kate.

---

The ABCs Of A Great Life: J Is For Joviality

Laughter, humor, a lighthearted sense of being - all of these are an important part of a well-balanced breakfast, er, life. Without humor, there is no hope. Without laughter, no love. And with... Read More

Wisdom

What is wisdom? But first, what are the conditions that render it desirable, if not necessary, and what is its essential purpose?Life is a desire to live, and better still a desire to... Read More

Happiness. Its Between Our Ears!

Happiness is something we all seek, yet few of us find-Some search for it an acquiring material possessions-Some search for it in experiencing pleasant sensations-Some search for it in seeking the approval of... Read More

Inner Peace

Are you content and at inner peace?Or are you insecure and filled with worry?Imagine your life with more inner peace. Imagine it as fully as you can. Would you feel better about yourself... Read More

Helping Happiness Along

Happiness is worth helping along.The benefits of being a happy person are huge. We live longer, live healthier, and live more lively lives.Unfortunately, all but the most highly-evolved among us have our less-than-happy... Read More

Great Relationship Problem Solving Technique

This is one of my all time favourite problem solving techniques, and I use it on a regular basis with clients who find it hard to get along with other people. But really,... Read More

How to Stop Attracting Negative People to Your Life

Placing your attention, energy and focus on the negative aspects of some people in your life brings you more of the same. Simply put, that's the Law of Attraction at work.When you shift... Read More

Happiness as a Habit

Health and Happiness are the two things that most people will tell you they desire most. Ask a parent what they want most for their child and they will almost always say, "I... Read More

Self-Worthiness

Worthiness-word origin. Worth and worship both come from Old English weorth, worth value. Worship is composed of this word weorth, worth, + ship (a suffix meaning condition, office, etc. as in friendship and... Read More

How Can I Tell What Vibes Im Sending Out?

The Law of Attraction exists in your life right now; whether you understand it or not, whether you know it or not, and whether you like it or not.Until you learn to use... Read More

Acts of Kindness Benefit Everyone

Do you really want to be happy? Everyone says yes, but the gateway to happiness makes some of us frown. The gateway to happiness, is giving to others. Think about this: "If you... Read More

Discover the 10 Golden Rules on How To Conquer Your Fear

We all want happiness and peace of mind. In the search for these blessings, millions of people take "happy pills" which they hope will relieve their tensions and make them feel more cheerful.Pacifying... Read More

Having Fun with Life

It was just a few degrees shy of swimming weather a few weeks ago at the beach. I walked along the shore in my jeans and a red tankini top, the salt air... Read More

Quick Steps On Being Happier

Want to be happier?Edward W. Smith, motivational speaker, author and TV show host, who specializes in quick tips on how to move your life ahead even faster, offers the following advice.First, make a... Read More

You are Where You are Because You Decided to be There

The decisions we make everyday have a big impact on where we are in life, both spiritually and physically. Often these decisions are the 'safe' choices. People don't often venture too far off... Read More

14 Habits For A Happier You and I

Many people exercise, play sports, or know someone who does. Having done so almost my entire life, I have a few pearls of wisdom. To gain an advantage, focus on a full body... Read More

Reframing with NLP For Enhanced Happiness

I used to work for the Independent National Newspaper in Canary Wharf, London. I can remember in the build up to Christmas, my department was having a large & expensive new computer system... Read More

Keeping You Confident!

We can all be confident when we are sure of ourselves and knowledgeable about the situation in which we find ourselves. But what happens when we are not so sure and when we... Read More

Conversational Negative Self-Talk

Most people don't even know they're doing it. Throughout the course of normal conversation, they bombard themselves with negative self-talk. Even people who are aware of the power of their words seem to... Read More

Divining your Number of Destiny

Your Destiny Number, which describes all of the talents and potentials that are at your disposal in this lifetime, is calculated from the letters that compose your full birth name. This is not... Read More

How To Live Happily Ever After

In life, many of us simply plunge ahead, only to realize later that some of the things we did, we wish we hadn't, and some of the things we didn't do, we wish... Read More

The Underestimated Power of Kindness

It was a bright Saturday morning in the late fall. I had stopped at a cafe' to enjoy a cup of coffee and scan the morning newspaper. Suddenly, I felt a hand on... Read More

Health and Happiness - Self Test

First of all, examine yourself outwardly.Look at your fingernails. Are they glossy? Do they appear nice and strong? How about your hair. It should be shiny and full of body. Now look at... Read More

OBSCURED (Angel)

Being raised in a household without a mother or a father can be traumatic for a young girl. If no one cares enough about you to come into your life to "finish" or... Read More

7 Gifts that Multiply Happiness

Did you know that there are gifts that will multiply your happiness when you give them away? Here are seven of those gifts. Giving these gifts will allow you to share with others... Read More

Do You Love Yourelf?

Learning to love yourself isn't easy - especially if you grew up in an environment that involved abuse, neglect, shame or an emotionally dishonest atmosphere. Most people who experience self-love have had it... Read More

Clearing a Path for Happiness

In the United States, the pursuit of happiness is a god-given right and Americans have a document to prove it. But I wonder why the Founding Fathers deliberately phrased it, 'the pursuit of... Read More

Happiness Is In Our Own Hands

Other people can bring tremendous happiness to our lives but we cannot rely on them alone for happiness. Clinging to people because we think our happiness depends on them can have a disastrous... Read More

Discover a Momentary Miracle

Each moment is filled with miracles - very special treasures to discover. All we need to do to see miracles is look with a spirit of gratitude.We usually think of "seeing" with our... Read More