I used to think of life purpose as some great big grand scheme for life, something we spend our whole life chasing after. Daunting for sure. At times overwhelming.
Then one day I realized that life purpose was a series of small, fleeting events, rather than one great big span of life. Bite size in fact.
It’s the one thing we love doing, time and time again. Over and over. Day by day. It’s the one thing we love sharing. Moment to moment. Breath by breath.
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Anchor Yourself With Light
What makes your heart sing?
For me it’s making the person right in front of me (no matter who they are) feel like the most important person in the world.
Engaging fully, completely, in every conversation I have.
No matter how long. No matter how short.
REFLECTION QUESTION: What makes you come alive?
I love making someone’s day brighter.
- Whether it be lifting the spirits of my psychology students.
- Encouraging a barista at Starbucks.
- Smiling at runners on the trail.
- Leaving my sister an uplifting voicemail.
- Opening the door for someone at the grocery store.
- Listening intently to my husband at the end of a long day.
Mission for this Moment
My hope for today is to make you feel like the centre of my universe. One smile at a time. One conversation at time. If only for a moment. Sometimes for a lifetime.
Because you matter.
More than you’ll ever know.
Simple Soulful Practice
Sometimes we need a quick, fun, and easy way to elevate our mood. Suggestion: Angel Cards A simple, soulful practice that takes a (bite sized) moment. Now my friends ask me to bring angel cards to all our coffee talks. Even if we’re sitting 8 feet apart! These light-hearted cards guarantee a shift UP in conversation. From the mundane to the magical.
What lights your way today?
Thriving Under Pressure 
I tell people this all the time: there is no way to be happy all the time. Happiness is not an end-state. Life is full of periods of time punctuated with happiness, joy, laughs, and successes. The rest of the time between those moments? I use that to set up and create those special moments.
So true! “Happiness is not an end-state”
Positive Psychology is a science that underscores your experiences. And how it’s truly the FLOW STATE that we all seek. To feel alive!
Whether it be as simple as a hot delicious cup of coffee at a cafe, or mile 9 on a 10 mile run.
Something you practice on your blog (writing takes us there), and in your fitness and work regime.
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment! I look forward to getting caught up on your latest posts too. It’s been too long. And you always inspire me to reach ^ higher.
Absolutely, it’s the repetition of lessons; the cycles that attempt to empower and encourage us to evolve, to love and ultimately live.✨🕊
“to evolve, to love and ultimately live.”
Amen to all of this. Your words lighten me up!
Thank you my friend. Full circle 🕊✨
Thank you for your insightful post!🕊✨
I love your purpose Andrea and appreciate how you uplift others. Thank you.
Thank you Brad! You have me smiling twice as big right now. Grateful for your light too.
Wonderful. You deserve it and my purpose seems to be similar in helping to uplift others.
I don’t see my life’s purpose as an overall thing, but each point in time e.g. My purpose in life right now is to type this.
Always making me laugh out loud.
Whether you realize it or not.
Your originality.
This is your purpose #lol
Oh wait, the cat says I have another more important purpose in life and that is to obey her every wish e.g. Open the door, stand and wait for her to decide went she is finished walking through it… 🐈
Dr. Dinardo, as always, your words wise and with a passion for compassion toward others (pun unintentional). I love Pablo’s words, finding one’s gift in order to give it away….I think one of life’s tragedies’ is so few people finding their gifts; I believe we ALL have gifts, without exception and there is nothing stopping us from finding them.(Matt. 7:7.)
I am so grateful for the time you take to read and comment on my posts.
Your words affirm my “passion for compassion” (love that!) every single time you share. Doubling my motivation & purpose to light up this world.
There is no doubt Sir Peter James that your gift is words of affirmation. How lucky I am to be on the receiving end.
Wishing you a blessed December!
As an answer to your last question (for here in the UK it is at the end of our day) of what lit up my day: The way my daughter who is a weight lifter, dropped everything at the last minute to come with me to pick up some furniture, so I didn’t have to drive alone or lift it into my car with a complete stranger at the other end of the journey, then seeing her walk from the shop towards the car and thinking how much I loved her. 💖 This really lit up my day and you making me ponder this before I go beddy bye byes now is very sweet of you. Thanks Beloved, I appreciate you prompt.
Over here in Canada appreciating what lit you up today! It’s this ^ kind of full circle, global sharing, that we need now, more than ever. How lucky you both are, to have each other. And I am also blessed to having a loving relationship with my mother. Thank you for all your shares! You always leave me smiling. Andrea 💖
The Wheel of Fortune! Love this Dr. D! I agree (not that you need me to) that this is your gift. You are truly a light that makes me feel heard and affirmed ❤
Dr. G! Now, I’m sparkling twice as much, as I type this in the office you visited me virtually in, back in July. Grateful for you. xo
p.s. I love how you underscore the messages of your mental health matters posts, in parentheses. (not needed.. but oh so appreciated :_)
💕 💫 💕
Well, my friend, you did it again. Your ability to help us refocus and rethink what’s important and how to attain a more hopeful attitude is always a pleasure to read. We all do make a difference.
And with each individual, each with particular gifts and talents, we can share with one another who we are and embrace who they are, because we are all made in the image of an all-powerful, all-loving God. Thanks once again for an uplifting blog.
Dayle, I have never been more appreciative of comments from my blogging friends! COVID is a lonely time. And each word feels like an extra dose of freedom & fresh air.
As your blog denotes: we are so much more than what’s above the surface (iceburg) – it’s all the little things that add up that create the meaning of our lives.
Wishing you a December filled with love.
Good evening Dr Andrea.
The purpose of life…as difficult to pursue as it is to define…most of us get caught in the wheel going in circles seeking fortune…thinking that is where happiness lies.
It’s few like you who understand the purpose and follow the path of progress moving bound to bound.. guiding and giving happiness to fellow passengers along the way…
Nothing gives more happiness then bringing a smile to a sad face.
Stay blessed…
stay healthy..
🙏🙏🙏
Another exceptional post dear 🤩!! I am so thankful for you and your friendship!!! You’ve been a bright light in my life:D
Thank you Nova!
The light flows BOTH ways.
Grateful for you.
Dear Dr. Dinardo,
I really love reading your posts and watching your videos, you are a very bright and light-filled soul if I may say so, and I love hearing about your angel cards!
I have some, too:) I love the topic of purpose and I believe we all have a unique life purpose that we get to find and define ourselves, maybe in co-creation with a higher power, at least that´s my belief:)
The incredible magic of life is always around and within us.
Thanks for reminding me of that and for sharing your beautiful light!
Much love from Spain
I hope you can feel my smile from Canada all the way to Spain! Your words resonate.
Thank you:) Yes!
What a great post and commentary. I use to challenge my students with a similar question: What if purpose isn’t some far off dream but a calling in the moment? Losing career, physical capability, and social connections that question loomed large. Pleased to say that you are right. Purpose overrides all external expectations.
“Purpose overrides all external expectations.” Amen VJ! The silver lining of tough times is how quickly they reveal the truth of what matters.
Absolutely! Hugs my fellow Ontarian.
I can feel it! And this is one happy Ontarian, because we just avoided a lockdown today. Staying in “the red zone” never felt so good. Gratitude for the most basic AND profound of things. Haircuts .. and Freedom :)))’
Absolutely. They are talking about shutdowns here. Fingers crossed.
I love this..
”Engaging fully, completely, in every conversation I have. No matter how long. No matter how short.”
I have been experiencing so much outside stress and challenges that I have forgotten this very important part of me lately.. doing this means everything and is such a pivotal part of who I am and I have retreated recently in protection of myself and the energy I don’t have to spare.
My daughter called yesterday at a time I was so busy and had a stressful matter at hand that was time sensitive.. I remember talking to myself and saying “it’s your daughter take the time and just listen nothing is more time sensitive than moments with my kids”
I still got done what I needed to and she felt heard.
I knew when I had to talk to myself that I was drowning in the stress not the love and it used to be a natural space and never did I have to question or think about it. Thank you for the reminder as I sit here with a major migraine and I’m so grumpy from it going on three days now.
I’m breathing now and calmer in the knowing my pace has taken me off a steady emotional foundation.
Firmly planted now thank you!
I love our wordpress blogging community! Thank you for sharing this poignant example how magic happens in moments, not days, not months, not years. And as I shared in another comment on this post: It is profound how quickly adversity reveals what truly matters. “That which remains” beyond the masks, the fears, and the uncertainty: LOVE & PRESCENCE
My focus is to build positive relationships, where I intend to do whatever I can to make that individuals life a bit easier. I also like being creative so if I can do this in a different way to normal I’ll always try to take the opportunity.
I love your life manifesto James!
Thank you, I have it written down and was trying to remembering it off the top of my head – so good test if I actually live by it!
I believe our life’s purpose is to share the gifts you have inside and you do that by being you. Thank you for sharing your gifts here, Andrea. 🌟✨💛
Thank you Syl. I feel it echoing back from you every time I read your posts. Grateful to share the path with you.
You’re very welcome and I’m thankful to share the path too 🌞
Making someone smile lights my day…
thank you for your presence! 🌺
My pleasure Donna-Luisa!
I love how you light up and light other people up.
More important than ever these days.
Smiling eyes included!
Connects us instantly.
“A smile is the shortest distance between two people.”
Yes. I find that encouraging others is win-win. Not only does it help them, it helps me to be less self-absorbed.
So much yes! Especially when it comes to stress. It truly is me me me.
I often share with students that feeling stressed is narcissistic and the cure is a simple act of kindness. One simple gesture moves them out of panic into peace. Giving them the energy to tackle ‘the assignment’ that was taking them down.
Humour works too! 100 percent why I keep coming back to your blog Mitch. You have the magic touch of faith and frivolity. Cure for the pandemic mind.
Keep shining your light! 🖊 ✨
Aw, thank you, Andrea. Ditto.
I too like people smile and being nice, making someone’s day. I find happiness in making others happy. I find happiness when I have personal victories and that makes me shine the brightest. Beating my fears, resolving my own upsets, or laziness.
And I shine when those I love are happy and I have made them happy and carefree.
Life is the little moments of others happiness and joy, and my small but significant wins.
I am re-studying the 5 love languages again for a radio interview on navigating the holidays during 20-20.
Related Post: https://drandreadinardo.com/2019/03/22/whats-your-love-language/
And there is no doubt that we share a communication style for sharing “our caring”.
Grateful that you take the time to read and share your thoughts. Your “words of affirmation” light ME up.
Yes! The smallest things can be the happiest. Sometimes we only do look at the bigger picture. Thank you ❤️
Well Said ❤️❤️
Thank you❤️
love the Picasso quote .. meditation is my stable 🙂