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"A few years ago, I had a light bulb moment: life was passing me by, and if I didn't do something soon, it would be over before I'd started to live it," Lynne told me.

Lynne had started working in the financial sector right out of high school because it seemed like the fast track to wealth and success. "I woke up each day, went through the motions, got raises and bonuses, just so I could have a nicer car, bigger house, designer clothes, and fancy vacations. Everything left me feeling empty. All those things I worked for meant nothing because I was not living with passion."

"I'll never forget that moment," she said. "I was leaving the office after working another ten-hour day to go home, eat, and go to bed, just so I could get up and do it all over again the next day. I thought,' what am I doing this for?' and I couldn't come up with a good answer. When I was younger, I'd always dreamed of owning a riding stable. That night I decided, at 35 years old, that it was now or never; I had to start living my life for me." The next morning, Lynne walked into Human Resources, gave two weeks notice and never looked back.

Living with passion means figuring out what you find meaningful in life, taking the action to get the ball rolling, making a commitment to see it through to completion, and enjoying the fruits of your labors when you achieve your goals.

KNOW WHAT YOU WANT

Living life with passion starts with knowing what you want. Sometimes we get so stuck in a rut that it's hard to imagine another, better life is possible. Ask yourself what lights you up; when was the last time you felt excited about something? What were you doing? In Lynne's case, it was the memory of helping out in the camp stable, riding, and taking care of the horses when she was a teenager.

TAKE ACTION

Once you figure out what you want, the next step in living with passion is taking the actions that will bring about results. Sometimes, it involves taking a calculated risk. You must be willing to give up what hasn't been working in your life to acquire the life you want. Lynne closed the door on her old life and made a total commitment to pursuing her dream. There were plenty of potholes in the road, but Lynne saw the setbacks as learning opportunities. She had the courage of her convictions that, even if this didn't work out, if she followed the path ahead, it would lead her to happiness.

ENJOY YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS

Today Lynne has a riding stable where she gives lessons and in the summer, donates three weeks to inner-city kids with behavioral problems who learn how to develop confidence by caring for the horses. "As the kids learn about herd behavior and begin to understand the horses, they become skilled at how to win the horse's respect. The horse always senses when there's integrity in a human's behavior, so the kids learn to approach the horse with integrity and respect. This carries over, and they return to their neighborhoods with a keener awareness of how to cultivate those qualities, using them to enhance their relationships with their peers. It's exciting to see the difference in kids' lives and immensely satisfying," Lynne says. "I wake up eager and enthusiastic everyday. There's a passion I never had before because I love what I do, and I think I make a positive difference."

What about the nice cars and the fancy vacations? "All I need is my sturdy pick-up truck, and, as for vacations, I wouldn't enjoy going anywhere as much as I enjoy being with my horses," said Lynne. Living with passion makes every day exciting and fulfilling, and we all deserve to have that kind of life. If you like where life is taking you, enjoy the ride; otherwise, grab the reins and blaze a trail for yourself.

Learn more about this author, Laura Caine.
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