| Raison D'Etre is French for reason, or purpose, | | | | centered in the truth of who I am, enjoy rich |
| for the existence of someone or something. Each | | | | delicious experiences, am surrounded by a |
| and every person comes into this world with a | | | | wonderfully eclectic group of talented people and |
| purpose, unique talents to achieve that purpose | | | | mentor others to live their lives as richly |
| and the inner wisdom to guide them along the | | | | whatever that means to them. |
| way. This is a birthright. Without exception. Since | | | | Who you aspire to be, what speaks to your soul |
| everyone walking this Earth exists, you would | | | | as a child, is a mirror of who you are. You love |
| think that everyone knew his or her purpose in | | | | what you see in that person or character |
| life. Unfortunately many people are disconnected | | | | because it is a reflection of you! Show up in your |
| with their Raison d'etre and are plodding along, | | | | life expressing your Inner Auntie Mame, Ninja |
| successfully or not, spending their life energy and | | | | Warrior, your hero. |
| time doing something that may feed themselves | | | | 2. What energizes you? Think back to a time |
| and their family yet starves their soul. | | | | when you were 'in the zone'. You were totally |
| We do not live in an either/or world. We live in an | | | | present, in the moment, doing whatever it was |
| "and" world. You can do both. Simply put, the | | | | that you were doing, enjoying it fully without any |
| reason you are here is to express your full | | | | sense of time and space. You were totally |
| potential using your unique qifts. You are here to | | | | focused and bursting with creativity. These 'in the |
| tap into the intuitive driven passion that achieves | | | | zone' experiences are windows to see your |
| the purpose of bringing forth your unique gifts out | | | | special gifts, your unique talents. You are |
| into this world - expansively. For those that feed | | | | energized, firing on all cylinders. These are the |
| their soul, do what makes their heart sing, work is | | | | moments that you are expressing YOU fully. |
| play and each day is an opportunity to express to | | | | "The best thing you can do is get good at being |
| the world who they are, what they are here to | | | | you!" - Denis the Menace |
| do. Life flows seemingly effortlessly. Even with | | | | As an example, here is an anecdote about Krista |
| the ups and downs, twists and turns, life is fulfilling | | | | Vernoff, Head Writer and Emmy Award nominee |
| and worth the ride! | | | | for the television show, "Grey's Anatomy". Even |
| For those who live off-purpose, doing what they | | | | though she loved to write, Krista thought she was |
| think they 'should' be doing, live can be exhausting | | | | supposed to be an actress. She held a belief that |
| and unfulfilling even if successful. Those who have | | | | one had a better shot at making a living as an |
| turned their back on their raison d'etre feel like | | | | actress than as a writer. Bar-tending was |
| something is missing and will sometimes joke that | | | | suggested to her by many well meaning relatives |
| they "still don't know what they want to be when | | | | worried about her career choice. She got quite |
| they grow up" well into adulthood. If you struggle | | | | good as an actress and was making a living at |
| to find joy, energy and satisfaction in your work | | | | that craft. Still, she couldn't tear herself away |
| and in your life you are living off purpose. You are | | | | from writing. Writing came so easy for her that |
| not living a life in alignment with who you are at | | | | she didn't give herself much credit as a writer. |
| your deepest core. Chances are you don't even | | | | "You have to work hard for a living" and she was |
| know what your unique talents are let alone use | | | | definitely working hard to be a working actress. |
| them. The funny thing is, many people don't see | | | | For Krista, being an actress was exhausting! |
| what their special gift is because it comes so | | | | Writing was playful, what she did for fun, what |
| easily for them. They find it so easy and | | | | she did to feed her soul. Success as a writer was |
| effortless to do what they excel at naturally that | | | | always a certainty. |
| they think everyone can do it. It doesn't occur to | | | | One day a fellow actor in a play noticed that |
| them that this unique talent is theirs as a birthright | | | | Krista would run to her dressing room to write |
| with which to express themselves and build their | | | | whenever she wasn't needed on stage. Most |
| life around. | | | | actors lived to be on stage where Krista lived to |
| "Seek the wisdom that will untie your knot, seek | | | | be offstage where she could write. Once this |
| the path that demands your whole being." ~Rumi | | | | fellow actor commented on this upside-down |
| There are two simple ways to get a glimpse at | | | | state of affairs, Krista realized that if she was |
| who you really are and what your unique gift is to | | | | going to live a fulfilled live she must acknowledge |
| share with the world: | | | | and honor who she is - a writer. At the end of |
| 1. Think back to when you were a child. Who did | | | | the play's run, Krista devoted her life to expanding |
| you admire or aspire to be? Was it a famous | | | | and express her raison d'etre - to write! |
| person, a character in a book or movie, a relative | | | | When you commit, give your full attention and |
| or teacher? Who awed you, made you stop and | | | | energy to standing firmly centered in the truth of |
| pay attention? Once you have identified this | | | | who you are, life is magical. You have fed your |
| person, what attributes of this person impressed | | | | soul, you are whole. As a complete person, you |
| you? Were they brave, funny, larger than life, | | | | have the inner resources to give to others |
| strong, loving, free, giving, smart? What was it | | | | whether that be through your craft or through |
| about what this person or fictional character did | | | | your presence in their lives. You have the energy |
| that called out to you? List as many attributes | | | | and desire to share you with the rest of the |
| and actions as you can. | | | | world. You live life on purpose, in the zone, and |
| For example, as a child I was awed by a | | | | tapped into the passion and wisdom that is yours |
| character I saw in a movie on TV, "Auntie Mame". | | | | and yours alone. This is what you are here to do. |
| Auntie Mame was a woman who was eclectic, | | | | Find a way to spend more time doing what gets |
| fun, fashionable, surrounded herself with | | | | you 'in the zone'. |
| wonderfully odd creative and talented people, | | | | If you are not satisfied or fully engaged in your |
| traveled around the world and experienced fun | | | | life you have a choice. Will you remain committed |
| and fascinating events in her life. She lived this rich | | | | to this unfulfilling life or will you discover and |
| in experience life and mentored others to do the | | | | commit to your raison d'etre. A fulfilled life begins |
| same. Oh, how I wanted to be Auntie Mame! | | | | when you go beyond the outer threshold of your |
| However, I didn't see myself then as being | | | | comfort zone. The choice is yours. |
| extroverted enough to put myself 'out there' as | | | | "Be who you are and say what you feel. Those |
| she did, take risks and stand up for who she is | | | | who mind don't matter and those who matter |
| and what she believed in. As an adult, I | | | | don't mind." - Dr. |
| reconnected with my truth and now live a life | | | | |