How to know in your heart you are in the right place at the right time. —————————————————————— Originally Published April 5, 2004 -- Your Wellness Guide Go Beyond The Superficial To Find Life Meaning —————————————————————— When you have that moment in which you say “I know this is where I am supposed to be and what I was meant to do,” suddenly everything changes. You organize your time, your resources, and your mind so that they are in line with a passion, a belief, a purpose.  Ancillary activities either become optional or meaningless.  You are driven by something more than yourself.  Persistence and hard work don’t become part of a job but rather a mission.  And, you have a peaceful, calm feeling. “I know in my heart that I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing at this time,” says Debbie Gisonni of www.reallifelessons.com.   Gisonni wrote her first book Vita’s Will and began speaking about how to find faith and happiness after living through her sister’s suicide and the nearly simultaneous cancer deaths of her mother, father, and aunt.  Those events propelled her into deep contemplation about how she wanted to shape the next several years of her life. Photo: Joe Prestipino With her Siberian Husky “Shadow,” Debbie Gisonni believes every person needs to go beyond the superficial to find more life meaning. Gisonni believes that everyone has a purpose in life but doesn’t think it has to be grandiose or career driven.  “A mother raising a child has just as important of a role as a president running a country,” says the “Be Happy” columnist.  “I think when you have a passion for something and can see the rewards in the positive effects it has on others, you know it’s right.” For most people, finding that special life calling or targeted intention doesn’t happen overnight.  Suzanne Falter-Barns says that you first have to give yourself permission to live in a way that will bring you joy.  This also means you have to be willing to do some self-discovery, perhaps momentarily do something unpopular or risky, and be able to recognize what is comfortable and fun for you. “Look to your childhood and see what you loved as a kid.  All of us, if we are true to our mission, find little clues in our childhood,” says the author of Living Your Joy: A practical guide to happiness. Marie Mijalis, 23, is a Summer 2004 Athens Olympic Games Kayaking Event U.S. candidate who will be competing at the Oakland, California Olympic trials April 15-18, 2004.  Rigorously training every day under the “24 Hour Fitness’ Careers for Elite Olympic Hopefuls” program, Mijalis is a young woman pursuing a dream that stemmed from childhood play. Kayaking in Miami, Florida since age eight, she originally did the sport for fun and because she was in love with doing water activities.  Then, in high school, she met her first coach Angel Perez, a former Cuban Olympian, who taught her how to move toward a goal, better manage her time, motivate herself, and keep trying until she got what she wanted.  Mijalis quickly began winning competitions at the local, state, and national levels.  Now, after graduating from the University of San Diego, she is 100 percent focused on the goal at hand,  even while her mother is undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer.  “I have bad days, and so does (my mother).  If you are not satisfied (with a goal), don’t do it.  I couldn’t ask for better friends and family.  I don’t associate with people or things that bring me down.  You need support.” Finding a passionate way of living takes work.  “You have to make a lot of effort,” says Leslie Levine, the author of Wish It, Dream It, Do It.  “You have to be willing to be disappointed some times because it is not a straight path.  You have to be willing to work toward it and consciously make trade offs.  It takes focus.” Levine says that living day to day provides little personal growth and requires only small effort.  However, living your life with purpose helps you to achieve a degree of personal tranquility.  You don’t question yourself as often, and you don’t care so much about what other people think about you. “People’s opinions can hold you back if you don’t believe in your dream,” says Levine.  “When someone says ‘I was meant to do that,’ it means someone has put a glove on and it feels good.” If you have reached this level of comfort in your life, it means that you are making conscious choices and taking sufficient time to deliberately reach your goals.  Terra Wellington is a national authority on creating a wellness lifestyle.  www.terrawellington.com  © Copyright Terra Wellington