What moves you to a place of contentment and fulfillment? Is is working in your garden, writing a song, hugging your child, looking at a glorious sunset, experimenting with a new recipe, creating a new blog entry? In his book, "Working with Emotional Intelligence", Daniel Goldman notes that emotion and motivation share a common root, springing from the Latin verb motere, to move. What moves you ignites your passion and feeds your soul?  Wouldn't it be wonderful to live joyfully? Try out the five steps below and see what happens for your life.

1. Recognize what fuels your soul. Is it hugging your pet, jogging in the crisp morning air, solving a problem or closing a deal? To find the answer to this question ask yourself when you feel effortless, even if you're working hard, and when you feel at peace. When do you look at your watch, smile and wonder where the time has gone? These are the spots of fulfillment where emotion and motivation meet.

2. Look for ways to get more of these good feelings. How might you open up to other relationships to create the same magic you feel in the really good ones? Where can you find more work that truly stimulates you? Where can you find more hobbies that inspire you? What can you release to free additional time for pursuing your passions? (Hint: How much time do you spend worrying about what "might" happen instead of being or doing something that brings you joy in the present?) What is the mood you want to live in and share with others? Each and every day you get to choose where you focus your energy, attention and resources. 

3. Write down your vision - exactly how you want it to be. And, reinforce it. Start each day by reading your vision and stating your intention to have what you want. Speak it, believe it, do it.

This includes accepting the less exciting parts of your life and crafting ways to make
them compelling so they feed your greater vision. For instance, you may not enjoy
making sales calls. However, it's important to pick up the phone and make the calls
to prospects and clients, it keeps your relationships strong and coincidentally the
pipeline of referrals full.  It's worth it to work out at the gym because you love your
body when you feel fit. It's important to take slow, deep breaths or to meditate to
quiet your mind so you can hear the wisedom of your inner expert.

4. Live in the present. You know more than you realize and are capable of what you want in this life. Simply being in each moment allows you to expand and grow toward your fulfillment. And, yes, there is hard work involved with change. Embrace it for the new muscles you'll exercise and know that even when you falter, you will get up again and be even stronger.

5. Revel in the joy of living a life that motivates you. Smile. Create a joy journal with daily entries about what brings you joy and your intentions for a motivated and positive life. Be on the lookout for more and more people, places, and events that add passion to you life. When you finish one journal, start another one. The more joy journals you fill, the happier your life will be.

Grab your power and make your plans. You can create the life that motivates and moves you toward positive emotions and fulfillment! Your future starts now.