This basic question points to where our will is directed. It points to meaning and purpose. Without this singleness of purpose, our lives may have little meaning or fulfillment. If we don’t know this answer, maybe sit with the question for a few moments and see if one arrives.

When our lives are nothing but chaos, we can exhaust ourselves trying to effect a resolution. Sometimes the best we can do is to be still. This allows us to conserve our energy, stay in balance, and avoid more chaos until the resolution arrives.

How many times do you hear, “Do what you love, and the money will follow.” Although “doing what you love” is often tied to purpose, calling, or vocation, the second part of that sentence is bound by expectation and outcome. Doing what you love should have the reward of its own. You do it because it’s an authentic expression of you. It’s about process rather than outcome. It doesn’t need to be about how you put food on the table. It’s something you’d do for free because it makes you feel most alive.

When someone famous tells their story, they often tell about those moments when their lives seem hopeless. We like to hear how they triumphed over their breaking points. But what about the rest of us who continue to struggle? Can we find hope amidst our struggles and look at them as those chapters in our life story that contribute to our growth and character?

Our conscience speaks to us—sometimes loudly—when we’re alone. That’s why we often surround ourselves with people who will validate our wrongdoing so we don’t have to listen to our conscience. But it will catch up to us. It’s important for us to spend time alone with our conscience to see what it has to say. If it’s conflicting with what our community says, we might ask ourselves about the company we keep.

We make New Year’s resolutions because we know that we’re doing something that is no longer working. The reflection itself is pretty powerful because we’re recognizing that our behavior keeps us stuck in old patterns. The New Year gives us hope, but each moment of our lives can be that fresh start we seek. What’s most critical is having the humility to see these painful patterns and the courage to change them.

Mary Oliver’s “The Summer Day” has often been quoted and recited for advocating “one wild and precious life.” Indeed, things come and go, so we shouldn’t waste our moments on things that serve little purpose. Oliver is imploring for us to pay attention to this moment. Find the detail of the grasshopper, embrace it, but don’t mourn when it hops away. That’s keeping our hearts eternally open to God’s gifts.

Each day, we all have the responsibility of taking care of ourselves and those we love. This might be our calling or it might just be a job. It’s up to us to find balance so that we aren’t sacrificing our calling so we can achieve worldly success. We must work each day towards our calling, which is our unique way to serve humanity.

So much of our communication messages are impulsive, distracting, or psychological imprints. We spend little time reflecting on the messages themselves and focus more on being heard. Spending some time in silence each day—or at least reduced noise—allows us to communicate with a little more intention. This means discerning what part of our message has purpose and which is just noise.

Many religious (even non-religious) believe that God is “up there” punishing us. What if we believe God is within us, loving us in the way you love a significant other? Many mystics in history believed this. When you love The Beloved, you do things to serve that love rather than do things out of fear.