One of the greatest things about being of retirement age is that more of my life is doing what I want.

But not before, I had to search my soul for what was right for me. I’ve realized how much of a people pleaser I am and how much I want to do the right thing. Whew, heavy.

As you begin your day, notice how wonderful it would feel and be if you thought about your day in terms of doing what you love. Think about getting up, imagining looking at your day and what you’d like to experience – even though you know many things need to be done – like work, chores, and fulfilling responsibilities. But how could you shift your focus to be on doing what you want? For instance, I love helping others and being there for them. Let that be my focus when I work, do chores, and fulfill my responsibilities. I still have things to do, but I do it while being on purpose with what I want for my life. It changes the whole perspective. It feels light instead of overwhelming.

Find ways to live your life doing what you want.

Live by your core values. Like joy, fun, connection, peace, kindness, grace, love. Instead of feeling frustrated or resentful, think about your day from your core values. Like instead of being angry, how could you shower those ideas to a core value like grace and kindness? You will see a different person or a different scenario. You will be living in alignment with what’s right for you if those are important core values to you.

I know at one point in my life that I was really angry, I realized I needed something to shift those feelings. It did not feel good. I would remind myself of my mantra, “I can choose peace instead of this.” I wanted a more joyful, peaceful life. I wanted to live differently. I knew I needed to be in alignment with my core values. These other feelings were trying to wake me up to what my soul truly desired.

Know change happens gradually. And, slowly, you find some momentum, and the patterns change to living more from the space of doing what you want.

What one person needs or wants for their life is certainly different than others. I know my generation was a lot about conformity. It would be considered selfish, arrogant, or narcissistic to believe you could have what you desired.

How are you aligning your life with your true desires rather than responsibilities and shoulds? Aligning with what feels good?

Remember, pain can be informative. Usually, that is when you are willing to try something new and different.

As Ernest Holmes states, “ We are here for the delight of whatever it was that created us — just as our whole life exists for the expression of our soul… Life is made to live, a song is made to sing, and a dance to dance.”

How can you begin to live more from the space of having a day full of your wants?

Everything you do in life is to feel good. So, if you believe that is true, think about how much your life is about feeling good.

Notice how many of your choices or decisions are based on your held social values, commandments, or group beliefs.

What rules have you made up that you “have to live by?”

What if, instead, you shifted to live by what you love and want to do? Know what’s important to you. Design your life around that instead of by what others want or think you should do.

“Stay true to yourself, even if other people don’t approve of your decisions. They’re not the ones who have to live with the outcomes of your choices.” (Daily calendar quote)

Figure out how you could live more of your life from inspiration rather than routine, habit, and the known.

As Maya Angelou states, “Courage is the most important of all virtues because, without it, we can’t practice any other virtue with consistency.”

It takes courage and tenacity to have the life you want. You are worth it.

How can you begin with 2% more of your day focused on what you want?

How can you have 2% more willingness to know it is possible to have an easier, more aligned life?

Today is a new day. Give it a try.

Do more of what you love each day.