After years of living a life that made us unfulfilled and unhappy and a lifestyle that did not allow us to pursue our passions and interests, my husband John and I decided to take a life-changing journey leading to a purpose-driven life.

We started by taking sailing lessons, an activity that we both immensely enjoy. Sailing just enlivened our spirits and made us young again. o add to our knowledge of sailing, we read books and stories about people who share our passion. One such story, Maiden Voyage, was about Tania Aebi, who at eighteen, was the youngest person and the first American woman to sail around the globe.

We talked about it, we discussed and thought about the options. We can initially crew other people’s boats to gain valuable experience while traveling at the same time. We will share the responsibilities of cleaning, cooking, navigating and helming the boat. We decided to apply with someone who had a forty-six-foot sailboat and joined it on the second leg of its journey which sailed from Fiji to Singapore for six months passing through Indonesia, Australia and Vanuatu.

We decided to take a leave of absence from our employment for one year and rented out our house and left Seattle on June 1, 1998. Before meeting our boat, we decided to first take a road trip for three weeks to different states traveling east on I-90 through the Cascade Mountains.

As we were going farther and farther away from civilization, I felt liberated and grateful for making this decision of pursuing a life which was so different from the life we lived for so many years.
Are you living a purpose-driven life? We need time to reflect on who we are and what our purpose in life really is. Express yourself. If you love the outdoors, then go ahead and pursue outdoor activities that you enjoy.

Here are some tips to get you started with your passion:

• Write down what you want to do .

• Make a list of what you love to do.

• Make a list of twenty-five things you want to do before you die. Be specific. For example, travelling is not as clear as when you say climb Mt. Everest

• Write about your favorite childhood passions. Which ones do you still love to do?

• Meditate on what makes you happy.
When we follow our passions and express what’s in our heart then we project a giving and passionate heart that allow others to reciprocate the same feelings. It creates a ripple effect that is profound and far-reaching.