If you’re not lit up from the inside over the way you’re spending your time, then it’s likely you haven’t found your purpose yet, you haven’t found a way to pursue it, or you’re so focused on the results you’re missing the beauty in the journey. These are not easy things to do growing up in a society where we are fed constant messages that happiness lies in external stuff, like a big house or a fast car or an amazing wardrobe, the “perfect” body, or that right person who’s going to show up and “complete” us (that would be you). We are taught that in order to live the good life, we need money, and lots of it. That sets many people off on a path that has nothing to do with their passion. I’ve met countless people over the years who went to law school or medical school because that’s what everyone does in their families. If you look around, and all your friends are in a race for the golden ring (not realizing they’re on a merry-go-round), it can seem normal.

I’ve said it eight hundred ways from Sunday, “stuff” will never make you happy. This crazy equation we have that $+stuff=happiness does not add up. It’s a soul-less pursuit. That’s not to say that some people aren’t going to make amazing doctors or lawyers or CEOs. Obviously we all want to keep a roof over our heads and food in our refrigerators. My point is simply if you’re pursuing the road to riches and not the path your heart is crying for, you’re never going to be at peace, you’re never going to feel satisfied, it’s never going to be enough to fill the void.

If you locate that thing that sets your whole being on fire, you will find you have ceaseless energy for it, because we all have gifts, and gifts are meant to be opened and shared. That’s the joy in life, the connection. If you figure that out, you won’t be living for those two weeks of vacation time, and you won’t be tempted to call in sick. In fact, there won’t be enough hours in the day to cram in everything you want to accomplish, and everything you want to give away.

Living your life based on someone else’s idea of what success or happiness look like will never bring you joy. That’s a recipe for drudgery and dread. That’s a common way people end up sleep-walking through life, numbed out and mildly or majorly depressed because this can’t be it, can it? Driving to work for a job I can’t stand so I can have a paycheck so I can afford the place I call home but rarely see since I have to work so much just to pay for it? Life doesn’t wait for anyone. It’s flowing and the earth is spinning and the sun is rising and setting, and before long it will be your birthday again. Don’t let too much time go by without uncovering your gorgeousness and sharing it with the rest of us if you haven’t yet. Sending you a ton of love, Ally Hamilton