It’s Personal.

“So…what’s your story…?”

The words hung in the potent, eclectic, air amidst each party-goer’s signature scent, the smell of upscale pub food, beer, and the Old Spice Swagger deodorant wafting over from the guy in front of me that resembled the 1990’s aphrodisiac Drakkar Noirthat had somehow imprinted itself on the mental scratch-n-sniff photo album of my childhood crush. The words—they hung. The interim silence—it was seductive. By the time my mind fast-forwarded through the aughts and caught up to the present moment, his question began bouncing upon the lively beat of our host’s perfectly picked playlist. Until it smacked me square in the face.

I was at a party out in Los Angeles, and in a dark corner with an adorable guy. He was doing to me what many adorable guys do to girls at parties…talking about Crossfit for an hour. Actually, I don’t mind it—I’m happy to talk about whatever lights someone up—however, upon finishing his kettle-bell diatribe and then flexing, he passed the focus onto me with his inquiry.

“So…what’s your story…?”

I paused, allowing the not-so-subtle profundity of his words to wash over me like a tsunami. Followed by an undertow of red-hot embarrassment climbing my throat, burning my cheeks, causing my breath to be shallow, restricted, almost choking. In that moment I felt like I had so many stories. How was I supposed to choose? I bought a bit of time by asking him what a “Tabata” was—I mean, he was holding a bottle of beer and an air baked waffle fry—we weren’t going to dive deep. But, my mind was already racing down down down, from his question. Never mind the party-banter, it triggered me to go under, to wonder, what did I really stand for…?

I flashed back to elementary school. Back to our section studying iconic thinkers and doers such as Martin Luther King Jr, Malcom X, Abraham Lincoln, Mother Theresa, Gandhi. Each of these amazing people had such clear missions. Such clear messages. Such clear personal platforms and philosophies. Clear to anyone who glimpsed one of their speeches, clear to anyone who heard them speak for more than a mere moment—they stood for equality, for peace, for service. They stood for equal rights for all. For each person in this world to be seen, to be heard, to be considered, counted, cared for. For all of us to connect, share, show compassion. The means by which they exercised their particular missions varied as drastically as their fingerprint, their DNA—yet what they stood for was clear. As I stood waffling by Cross Fit’s waffle fry, over my past, my passions, my beliefs, I was having a hard time articulating for what, exactly, I stood. What was the filter through which I pushed everything in my life—my work, my relationships, my interests, my actions?

I needed to get clear.

And for that, I needed to get quiet.

I flew back to New York City that next day, and as soon as I boarded the plane, I closed my eyes to meditate. I had made a pact that by the time I landed, I would have a succinct personal philosophy by which to live. Something that embodied who I was, what I stood for, what I brought to everything I encountered in my life. A strainer through which I could naturally run my thoughts on the way to actions—a checkpoint to make sure that what I did felt in alignment with how I felt about the things that mattered most to me. It felt urgent. Vital. Integral to who I was, and what I wanted then and in the future.

Everyone can benefit from finding and writing down their own personal philosophy. It is as essential as our heartbeat. The driving rhythm to which we carry out our life’s work, our own meaningful mission. And if something doesn’t go—doesn’t match melodically or keep pace—then it is easy to release for the sake of our life’s greater song.

By the time our wheels touched-down, my soul had been lit up. Alight with a newly articulated sun at the center of each orbital thought, every planet of action that I henceforth would undertake. I had my very own personal philosophy:

Believe. Be Love. Be Now.

Believe that I can do anything that I set my mind and heart to do. Be the unconditional, all-encompassing loving being in which I feel most comfortable. And Be present, in each and every moment. Right now. I am all in.

Believe. Be Love. Be Now.

My motto. My filter. The beat of my heart.

What is your personal philosophy…? (in less than a paragraph)