What Lights You Up?!

This next-level tool/practice/strategy will help you identify and focus on what really energizes you, inspires you and gets you in your “zone!”

It’s tiring, stressful and anxiety-producing to be consistently ruled by your own “should’s, have to’s, and musts.

Not only are all those “shoulds” and their cousins draining your energy, but they also keep you from feeling any juice in your life.

Life without that zing and/or lightness can feel awfully overwhelming and burdensome.

So, it’s time to create a “What Lights Me Up” list!

By creating this type of list, you will become aware of what really gives your life meaning and “life.”

After creating the list, you’ll do an assessment to see where you need to take action so you can begin to add in more “juice” vitality and inspiration to your life.

Now, that’s quite a refresh, wouldn’t you say?

Here’s how to do a “lights me up” process.

1. Get a notebook and pen. Get comfortably seated and ready to write.
   • You could do this digitally, but I recommend using your hands to write to have more connection to the process.
2. Start with 3 deep belly breaths. Really focus on the act of breathing deeply in and out.
3. Now, ask yourself: “what lights me up?” “What gives me energy?” “What inspires me?”
   • What you write down will be anything that gives you feelings of well-being, puts a smile on your face, makes you feel all excited and energized…in that arena.
   • Examples: taking a walk in Nature; going kayaking; traveling to new places; playing with your children; playing with your furry children; being creative in your work, or at home; painting, quilting, sewing, dancing, swimming, cooking a special food or meal that you love, etc.
4. Notice how you feel now. It’s time to anchor in those feelings!
   • Stop and notice how you are feeling after writing down all sorts of things that “light you up.”
   • If you have been staying present while writing these down, you will be very “lit up,” perhaps feeling almost giddy or sparkling with vitality.
   • Now, squeeze your left hand…take a breath in…and as you exhale, release the hand. Do this several times. Each time, you inhale, allow yourself to be fully present to all the “lit up” feelings you experienced.
   • You’ve just created an anchor to keep getting you back into that inspired lit-up state.
   • If you found yourself dwelling in “I never get to do that/experience that”, etc, then stop! Start again and let yourself really feel the inspiration from the “what lights me up” list. And, when you are in that state of being lit up-squeeze your hand.
   • You can choose a different “anchor,” if you’d like. Perhaps using the other hand or both hands-or even hand over heart. Choose 1 and keep repeating the process.
5. How much “lights me up” experiences are you giving yourself?
   • As you look at your list, score each item on that list from 0-10 in relationship to how much you have these “lights me up” events/times/people/activities in your life.
     • 0=not at all
     • 10=all the time

6. Reset time!
   • Choose 1 item on that list that you can commit to having more of in your life.
   • As you’ve brought forth the awareness of what lights you up, now you can make a shift using that awareness and a commitment to your reset, refresh and re-connecting time.
   • You’ve given yourself this time to feel the energy of being “lit up.” Now, declare you are wanting more of that energy!
7. Visual Reminder!
   • Give yourself a visual reminder of your commitment to add in a “lights me up” item from your list.
   • Place it where you can see it consistently.
   • You may even carry around a reminder of your commitment to use as a “quick stress reliever” when you need it.

When you are focused on any 1 or all “what lights me up” item(s) and stay present to the feelings of that, you are connecting in to your essence. Your essence naturally loves to be lit up!

And, you are creating positive feelings that impact all areas of your life.

Not only are you creating impactful positive feelings, but you are giving yourself permission to feel engaged, alive, renewed, refreshed and re-connected!

Now, that’s inspiring!

That lights me up! ?