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“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.” Erma Bombeck

In the recent death of Steve Jobs, I watched a video of his 2005 commencement speech to Stanford University graduates. Ironically, I watched it using his brilliant creation, the I-phone. As I allowed his words to resonate in my mind, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today,” I related those words to my life and to the many women who are business owners, mothers, mentors, volunteers and more. Are you living a life of purpose?

How will you know if you have succeeded in living a life of purpose? How do you keep score? Here are 4 ways to tune in to your purpose:

Tune In To Your Mind
Do you ever feel as though life’s passing you by and not sure what to do? It’s time to release all of the ‘stuff’ and start living your best life by reducing or eliminating the amount of stress you have present in your life. Meditation is an excellent healing tool that rejuvenates your mind; increase your inner strength and well-being; and good for your body as well.

Tune In To Your Body
Do you listen to your body? When you are stressed or ill, there are signs, right? That is your body talking to you. Your body is sacred and should be treated as such! It is what keeps us alive. It is important to treat your body right. Two important ways to care for your body:

  • Exercise: In essence, having an exercise regimen improves your quality of life. It’s a great way to control your weight; helps to prevent diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure; and strengthen and tone muscles which allow us to look and feel better. Most fitness experts suggest incorporating a daily exercise regimen into our lives.
  • Skin Care: Let’s face it, as we age, so will the appearance of our skin. This is not a reason not to have great looking skin.

Here are 4 natural tips:

  1. Manage stress. Having stress in your life is inevitable. The key is identifying the source of stress and finding ways to take control of how it affects your life. Managing stress allows you to take charge and live a more balanced life.
  2. Eat healthy foods. Having a balanced and healthy diet and avoiding junk foods is an important factor in maintaining good health.
  3. Drink plenty of water daily. It is important to drink 8 glasses of water daily to slow down the aging process. Committing to this will keep your body fully hydrated and prevent dryness of skin.
  4. Avoid the sun. This is very harmful to your skin. If you must be in the sun, protect your skin from over exposure by using sunscreen products.

Tune In To Your Spirit
Have you taken time to listen to the voice of your inner spirit? Do you long to deepen your spirituality?  Simply, spirituality is the search to know our true selves. Everyone goes through trials and tribulations in life, but the question is how long does it take to get through them? In spite of all that might be going on, it is important to tune in to your inner spirit. Here are 3 tips:

  • Create a spiritual practice to fit your busy lifestyle.
  • Shift your affiliation with spirituality from ‘something you do’ into a ‘way of living.’
  • Live in the moment. By living in the now allows you to experience life directly! Look around you; enjoy the beauty of your surroundings; take a deep breath and exhale; and stop worrying about what if, instead, enjoy what is.

Tune In To Your Business
Are you feeling like your business is in a slump? Now is a good time to consider areas that can be improved? Here are 3 ideas to help you tune in to your business:

  • Reflect. This is a perfect time to reflect on the successes and failures of your professional and personal life. Have you considered what changes you would like to implement this year? As women entrepreneurs, it is important to look for ways to improve work-life balance. Take some time to reflect on your business’s progress and make plans on how you want your business to grow.
  • Reorganize. What kind of clutter have you accumulated that is hindering you from functioning at your optimal best? Write down all the things that are cluttering your mind, distorting your life’s vision. Take each of the things on your list and ask yourself the following questions:
    1. Why am I holding on to this clutter?
    2. What purpose does it serve?
    3. How do I rid myself of it?

Clutter can be distracting while adding to the chaos in our lives. Take time to reorganize your mind by simply ‘letting go’ and re-prioritizing the way you do things.

  • Refine. Have you considered refining your target market to increase your bottom line? We all know that the success of your business depends on making sales. To re-identify your target client, ask yourself the following questions:
    1. Do you know who your customers will be?
    2. Do you understand their needs and desires?
    3. Do you know where they live?
    4. Will you be offering the kind of products or services that they will buy?
    5. Will your prices be competitive in quality and value?
    6. Do you understand how your business compares with your competitors?
    7. Will your business be conveniently located for the people you plan to serve?

By refining your target market, you are ensuring the success of your business!

In conclusion, by taking care of your mind, body, spirit and business is a sure way that you are living your life with purpose.

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