I remember fondly hanging out with a friend one day and having a conversation about what we wanted in life. My conclusion at the time was: Impact, Connection and Experiences, I may have stretch the notion of experience to the point of being exquisite. My dear friend being a big fan of acronyms , he said to me: you want ICE!”

I do want ICE. I want to have an impact because I believe that true purpose resides in gifting our talents and receiving a positive return on energy. Nothing is only just given, there is always a return, and we want it to be as positive as possible. I agree that some returns on energy may be negative, and still productive if it serves a greater purpose. That would be a delayed return on positive energy.

Purpose is argued by some as being a greater need than simple happiness. That’s a valid argument in my opinion. I’m a hedonist and the simple pleasures in life can yield a great amount of happiness for me. That being said, being purposeful is personally a greater need for me.

Connection is fundamentally important in my life. I can’t make an impact on the world by myself. I need others to do that, and to do it to the scale I dream of. To best collaborate with others I need to be able to connect with their authentic self, I need to offer patience, understanding and compassion as we all write our own story the best we can. Connection is also about connecting to self. How well do I know myself? By understanding my own gift and limitations I’m able to offer the best version of myself. Connecting to others is only secondary to connecting to self.

As I mentioned above, I’m a hedonist. I believe that we create our own heaven on earth, we create our paradise, we manifest our dreams. The experiences are the jewels of our lives, the absolute joys, or sorrows, that we go through willingly and purposefully. Experiences are the building blocks of our wisdom. We are the sum of our choices, and our actions. Our past doesn’t define our future, however, it does build it depending on the lessons we gather. Our experiences are a reflection of our principles and values at any given time of our lives. It goes back to impact and connection: what experience do we offer to others?

I invite you reflect on what you want most in life. It doesn’t have to be grand or original, it’s best if it’s true to who you are right now. It will help define more precisely your intentions in life, and the results you seek.

Reach for the greatest version of yourself!

Paola