Top three ways to fuel your fire

Passion. We all have it. We don’t all engage it on a regular basis. In fact, it’s easy to get caught up in the rhythm of life and even lose sight of this precious gift.

Life can become a series of daily chores, making a living, paying the bills, fixing dinner and carting kids around. It’s not uncommon for the things that make you feel fully alive – your passions – to get lost amongst the pace of life.

However, it doesn’t take much to reconnect and embrace your passion in your daily life. In fact, it is a leadership skill that is the key to living a more abundant life and experiencing more success!

In the business world, we hear a lot about the importance of leaders having good people skills, a high emotional intelligence and a good education. I’d argue that it is just as important for a leader to have passion as it is for a leader to have any other trait. Passion is, after all, the primary driver of most human activity. 

Passion is what fuels your fire and helps you step out on the edges of your comfort zone. It drives you do more and play bigger. Your light shines brightly when you are working and living in your passion. All of these factors will directly equate to more success and abundance in your life.

When we live without passion, we often fall into a rut, and feel rushed, out of control, stressed out, and completely drained of energy before the day even gets started. Without passion, it’s harder to create and innovate. And perhaps most importantly, without passion we lose the power to motivate ourselves and those we interact with.

If we continue to live our lives like this for very long, we run the very real risk of burning out. Our spirit, and eventually our bodies, will simply shut down if we live without passion for extended periods of time.

If you've fallen into this common trap, try the following three tips to reconnect with your soul, rediscover your passion and rejuvenate your spirit!

 1. Start your day off with something that brings you joy. Setting the tone for the rest of your day is very important.

If you begin your work days rushed and out of sorts, get started a bit earlier and with an activity that delights you and brings a smile to your face.

This activity doesn't have to be an elaborate or long one. Simple things such as starting your day off by savoring your favorite blend of coffee, enjoying the view outside your window as the sun rises or taking a few moments to listen to an audio of your favorite artist are powerful ways to start your day off on the right foot.

2. Learn to delegate. All of us have tasks to do each day that sap our energy and that would be better suited to someone with different preferences and talents. In both our home and professional lives, it's tempting to do everything ourselves, but it's important to realize that none of us are superheros. We can't be everything to everyone all the time.

Find help! Hire a housekeeper, swap chores with others in the office or the home, hire a teenager to help with that project you’ve been putting off! It is truly worth it to both your spirit and your energy levels to learn how to let go of the things that you do not like to do and that others can do for you.

3. Learn to say "No!" Many of us associate saying the word, "no" with being disagreeable or difficult. Most of us want to feel liked, and so we end up going along and saying "yes" to things that we really don't want to do.

Whether it's attending a social event with a friend, or helping out on project that you don't have the time or resources to do a good job, or even shutting off your computer and waiting until the next day to answer an email – don’t feel ashamed or afraid to say "no."

The world really will not end if you are not always instantly and constantly available. As you start to say "no" to the things that you don't have time for and that drain you, you will find that you suddenly have time to listen to your inner voice and to rediscover your true passions and what it is that truly makes you feel joyful and alive.

And when you find yourself taking advantage of this newfound time, simply ask yourself, what makes me feel over the moon and fully alive? Go on a walking meditation or journal on this question. My guess is that you will find new insights to what lights you up.

When you breathe life into these passions, you will discover your life's work, the true reason why you are born and exist on this earth. As you find your life's calling and step into your mission, you will live a life that has meaningful, fulfilling and abundant.

As you renew your spirit you will find that you have more energy and creativity and are able to make better decisions and inspire others to help you in your endeavors. This will result in greater success regardless of your industry or field.