Have you ever felt like there was a time in your life when you didn’t know you could actually make your own choices? I did. The influence of others, primarily my parents, with their hopes and expectations of me, spoke much louder than my own feelings and desires.

By the time I showed up in my college dormitory room, I felt lost. I realized I hadn’t even chosen the school I wanted to go to. When applying to college, the list had become my parents’ list and in the end I chose what they expected of me.

A respectable profession to my parents upon graduation meant medicine or law so off to law school I went. A perfect overachiever that I was, I persevered those grueling years and landed a coveted first year associate position in a very prestigious law practice. Sadly, I came to realize that who I had become, did not reflect my truest desires. I was living a life others had planned for me and I was uninspired, unfulfilled, and craving something more, something ME.

I wanted to live a life I loved, to make my passions my career, and to make choices that reflected my values and my heart. The problem was, I didn’t trust myself. I had become so programmed to do and become someone I was not, I really had to take a step back and look deep inside of myself. I was scared. I was going to have to walk away from everything I had worked for and the person I had become in order to be who I really wanted to be. I had to be strong and courageous.

Integrating our passions with our career should come easy. We should have a right to do what we love. But for so many of us, it is more difficult than you’d imagine.  So many people have a similar experience as I did.  We literally don’t realize we have the right to choose. While for others, "success" has arrived and think that's what matters most. Even if these "successful" people feel unfulfilled and unhappy, the thought of walking away and starting over is unfathomable. Isn't success supposed to be the 'end game?' Not when your heart isn't in it.

What would happen if you were taught to make choices that affect your LIFE with your heart instead of your head? What would happen if you started to visualize your dreams and could see them in front of you? You’d be surprised. The universe conspires in your favor when you are true to your heart and when you are honest about what you desire.

The easiest way to to get clear about how to create the life you love is to get out a piece of paper and start writing.  Jot down yours hopes, dreams, desires, wants, and needs. Don't hold back, this is for YOU! How do you feel about your career, your relationships, your family, your body, your spirituality? If these areas of your life are not a number 10 on a scale of 1-10, why not? What are you going to do right now to make a change, so that your life reflects your values? This is a brilliant exercise in honesty and integrity. Are you living your purpose and if so, why not? Some of you may not even know your purpose and the way to uncovering this is by getting in touch with what you desire.

So, how do you know when you aren’t living the life you love, when you are stuck in something that has no passion and need to change, or when you are just burnout and are in dire need of inspiration? If you spend more of your time unhappy than you do getting feeling fulfilled and inspired, you probably need to reevaluate your life. If you are afraid to leave your career for fear of what others will think of you or disappointing someone in your life then it’s most likely time to consider who has the control over your choices.

This is your life.  You get to be the author of your dreams.  You get to decide how much time off you need to nurture yourself and give back in a meaningful way. You get to decide how to rejuvenate and replenish your soul. Creating the life you love does not have to be daunting.  But in order to do so, you must be willing to let go of outdated passions and get rid of patterns and even people that are no longer serving your biggest desires and dreams. Surround yourself with inspiring uplifted people who don’t settle for anything less than living a life connected to all that you love.

Are you ready? Can I help?