The past couple months, I've found myself just going through the motions a lot of the time. I sometimes complain about my lengthy "to-do" lists of everything I need to get done in a day. But lately I've come to find that life is speeding by me SO fast, and way too often I am just "completing the tasks" and not really getting much out of them. It becomes so easy to get into this habit, but in the end, how much are we really going to get out of life by simply just "doing?" We can't just do. We have to have a reason, a goal, a PURPOSE, for EVERYTHING we do.What is your WHY?

Do you ever wonder what your purpose is in life? A, "What am I doing here?" type of thing? I know my mind tends to revolve around this question a lot. I think it is important to look, not so much at the grand scheme of things, but the smaller day-to-day tasks we take on. Why do you do what you do every single day? Using this as a reflection tool can be extremely beneficial because it often helps to decipher where our intentions are with certain things. Everything we do lies in these intentions, and to live a purposeful life, those intentions must be authentic ones. Are you doing this because you feel like you have to, or are you doing this because you WANT to? Are you doing this because it makes others happy, so you feel like you should? Check your intentions and ask yourself: why am I REALLY doing this. I have begun reflecting every single day on the things I am involved in. Why am I in a sorority? Why am I on a Dance Marathon committee? Why am I studying child development? Why do I want to be an occupational therapist? When we take our "what's" and discover our "why's," it enables us to connect our true objectives and goals, which in turn will help us decide if what we are doing is fulfilling us. If your intentions aren't necessarily in the right place, maybe rethink doing that certain thing. I find peace in knowing that there is a Creator who knows my every next move. My future does not depend on what I deem fit for myself. God knows where I am going to be- and He is going to take care of me.

Are you living life with purpose?

Don't get me wrong, nearly every single time my alarm goes off, I snooze it seven too many times. I certainly don't sprint out of bed every morning ready to take on each day. But if you struggle staying motivated throughout each day, reflect on what it is that does get you excited to wake up. Maybe it's your job or what you are studying in school, maybe it's your family or friends or boyfriend. Maybe it's just simply knowing that you today are alive and well. For me, it is knowing that I can't redo life. It's ok to not know every single path you want or are going to take, as long as the ones you are taking now are ones that you enjoy. Hear this: You're not going to remember the nights you went to bed early or the mornings you slept in late. Find that spark that keeps you wanting more. Try looking at your end goal. What is it you're working towards? For me, I know that someday I am going to better the lives of so many children and their families. That simple fact keeps me writing papers and taking tests. Wake up each morning with that spark. You'll find yourself wanting to press snooze a little bit less.

Here's the deal...

Each of us gets one single shot at this life. One single life of countless opportunites. How are you going to spend it? Are you going to spend it doing things that don't absolutely make your soul burst with happiness? Are you going to spend it hung up on people who don't truly better you as a person, or that hold you back from being your best? Stop doing these things. A life of rich fulfillment will never be an option if we continuously live like this. Sure, we all sometimes might be lead down a path we aren't particularly proud of. That's ok. We live, we learn. But it is up to you, and only you, to decide the paths you want to take. Decide that for yourself today. I often think: would my future self be proud of this? Would I, as a wife and mom, be proud of this? If so, do that. Live a life YOU are proud of. A life YOU are so madly in love with. And if you're not madly in love with it, it is never too late to make some changes.

Live with passion. Live with drive. Live with balance. Live in the moment. And if you live like this, life will be pretty darn beautiful.