Where to Start on the Spiral of Fulfillment

As I wrote last time, wherever you begin on the Spiral of Fulfillment, if you stay involved you will no doubt find the other aspects of the Spiral slipping naturally into your life as well. Here’s a brief overview of some of the starting points where you may begin to align your life with the universal flow which will ultimately lead to a “life on purpose.”

Service
Service has gotten a bad rap lately, or has been confused with such terms as “customer service” or “service with a smile.” But what does a “purposeful, passionate and playful life of service” mean? It means quite simply that you’ll be more satisfied and fulfilled in your life when you express your true life purpose in service to others. Think of it this way: Your true, Divinely Inspired Life Purpose is who you are as a spiritual being and what you came here to planet Earth to be and experience. And since we are all here as spiritual beings who have a physical experience, we’re also here to express our purpose through service to others.
Now, hold on. . .there’s another part. Engaging in service for others doesn’t mean at your own expense. It’s important for you to take care of yourself at the same time, so you will have plenty of energy to serve others – not just plenty of physical energy but also mental, emotional and spiritual energy. The first step to taking care of yourself is to take the time to clarify what you’re most passionate about which is closely associated with your life purpose.
In fact, when you bring clarity of purpose to your life, you are then able to tap into a wellspring of passion and enthusiasm that can fuel your efforts to express and fulfill your purpose. All of this is augmented when you add a healthy dose of purposeful play into the mix.  With purposeful play, you bring a childlike innocence and sense of awe and wonder to your daily life. There’s a sense of freedom and a willingness to flow with what’s flowing as you’re open to exploring and experimenting with life.

Simplicity
There’s a growing, quiet movement underfoot to simplify our lives. Many of us have realized the Great American Dream of owning a huge house, with two late-model cars in the garage, expensive vacations and all the trimmings of a “keeping-up-with-the-Joneses” lifestyle has one fatal flaw: Such a lifestyle doesn’t guarantee our happiness. As modern-day spiritual sage, Bo Lozoff, cofounder of the Human Kindness Foundation points out in his book, Deep and Simple:
“It’s time we notice that the Joneses are not happy. One of their kids is on drugs, the parents are in divorce court, Mr. Jones is $50,000 in debt, and Mrs. Jones is taking anti-depressant medication.”
But we have to be careful about the notion of simplicity. Many of us have also misinterpreted it to mean frugality, depravity, or even poverty. It’s not that either, which is why we’re introducing the distinction of “mindful abundance balanced with simplicity.” A simple approach to life starts with being mindful (as in thoughtful, awake and aware). This means taking the time to reflect upon what’s most important in life and to do so from a mentality of abundance and gratitude rather than from a consciousness of lack or limitation. When you start living a life of mindful abundance balanced with simplicity, you start to realize that such a life can look quite different for people. As Vicki Robin, coauthor of Your Money or Your Life once said, “Simple living isn’t a cookie cutter lifestyle.”
Spiritual Serenity
I was raised in the “Bible Belt” of the South where I was taught that there are two subjects that you are safer not talking about in public, politics and religion. But it’s time we all broke our “vow of silence” and for many of us “closet spirits” to come out and express ourselves and our faith in a Higher Power. Embracing a sense of the Great Mystery of the Universe through an authentic spiritual inquiry will add a whole new dimension to your life. What form this dimension takes is completely up to the individual. After all, that’s one of the basic freedoms upon which the United States of America was built. It’s time we got back to it. And for now, that’s all this Southern gentleman has to say on the subject. But read on for more.
Elegance
I’ve been told that there’s a principle in physics known as “elegance” that says that the universe operates in the simplest manner possible. Thus, water takes the path of least resistance (a notion that a lot of us could learn from), an object is pulled by gravity in a straight line unless another object or force comes into play, and so forth. When you combine the distinctions of service and simplicity in the Spiral of Fulfillment, what arises is the possibility of living an elegant life. To quote Einstein again, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.”
Each morning as I prepare myself for the day, I recite a “purposeful prayer” that helps me get in touch with my life purpose so it will be my purpose that shapes my day. A part of this litany points to the idea of elegance. It goes like this:
“I rest in the assurance of knowing that as I continue to live true to my life purpose, the entire Universe provides amply, abundantly and in perfect timing all the resources necessary for the ongoing expression and fulfillment of this purpose. My job, first and foremost, is to live true to my life purpose.”
That’s elegance in a nutshell.
Peace-of-Mind
When you meld simplicity and spiritual serenity together you get peace of mind, something that is usually absent if either one of these key ingredients is missing. This might explain the incredibly high suicide rate in this country and the fact that Valium is one of the most widely purchased drugs year after year. Want more peace-of-mind in your life?
Try this simple recipe: Add one cup of simplicity with two cups of spiritual serenity, fold gently together while breathing deeply, add a pinch of gratitude to taste, let set for several minutes. While it’s congealing, go take a quiet soak in a hot tub of water surrounded by candles. Ahhh. Peace of Mind.
Contribution
All I’ve ever wanted to do in life is make a difference with other people. In my view, contributing to others’ lives is what we all most want from life. When you know your purpose, you know how to contribute; you know your unique gift of being – your soul’s purpose – is to offer to others. Through an authentic spiritual exploration you realize that we are all connected to each other and to the whole Universe. When these two ideas are combined, the possibility of us all contributing to each other is the natural outcome.
A Life On Purpose
At the center of the Spiral for Fulfillment, where all these basic ingredients are blended together is where a life on purpose lives. As you read this book, I invite you to savor each chapter. Imagine each one is like a fresh slice of orange or a juicy, sun-ripened strawberry. As you read, roll the ideas and insights around in your mind. Ponder these notions between your readings.
Take your time, but take action on the ideas that make the most sense. If you do, I believe you will find that it is possible to live a satisfying and fulfilling live – a life on purpose – no matter how turbulent the rest of the world may be.  And given enough time, I have faith we can all create a world on purpose in this way.
Beginning the Journey

It is my deepest desire that the following selection of essays will assist you in traveling along the Spiral of Fulfillment and that with each turn along the Spiral, your life will take on a deeper sense of purpose as you discover new ways to be of service, while also simplifying your life, and bringing a profound sense of serenity as you reconnect with your true Self.
Learn more about this newest book in the Life On Purpose Book Series and order your copy here.