Many years ago I was on a search to find what I thought was the secret to life. I wanted to know how to live with passion and to enjoy most of my days. I wanted the key to peace and happiness. That was also about the same time I started getting interested into personal development and meditation. It was then that I stumbled upon an incredibly inspiring, uplifting, and very insightful blog, Zenhabits.
Leo Babauta is a man of intentional transformation and the creator of Zenhabits. He is a writer, father, husband, and peaceful life hacker who shares his knowledge with his readers as a way to pass along his wisdom, experience, and general knowledge to help others. He isn’t perfect and doesn’t claim to be, yet he is honest and his writing portrays the image of a seemingly simple, yet wonderfully happy life. What works for him may not work for you, but he has some really great information and advice for his readers and until recently I had forgotten just how much I enjoyed his site.
What he did: You can read his whole story here, but to put it simply Leo made changes in his life intentionally so he could live the zen life that includes a healthy body and mind, a more simplified life, and overall enjoying the journey. What I love about Leo is that while he has a ton of information to share with others (which he includes in his blog and novels), he doesn’t claim to know everything. He is just a guy living an intentional life that works for him and he is happy doing it. Sharing it with others is an added bonus. And while he hasn’t always taken the most common path, he took the path that was right for him. Something we could all stand to do a little more of, because after all our dreams are individual.
How he did it: Tiny intentional steps, one after the other. Simple, yet profound.
The other dreamer highlight is also equally inspiring and unique, but for very different reasons. Jenny Lawson is the beloved Bloggess who’s sometimes vulgar humor she has shared with the world via her blog and most recently her book Let’s Pretend This Never Happened. She is a hilariously funny writer and mother who often struggles with depression, anxiety, and a variety of other ailments that she shares openly on her blog. While her life may not always seem to be the typical ultimate dream, Jenny recognizes it is her dream life. What I find so inspiring about Jenny is that no matter what her reality shows her, she believes in something greater. The power of community (which she has a great deal of on her blog), inspiration, and the power to keep moving forward no matter what. Jenny Lawson is living her dream as a writer, a mother, and a wife in spite of her fear that often tells her she isn’t good enough to do any of them. A voice we all hear within ourselves from time to time.
What she does: She shares, writes, lives, and laughs. Loves her daughter, husband, and her pets. Lives apologetically and embraces her quirks, ticks, and wonderfully unique qualities because they make her just who she is, and incredibly brave woman and ingenious writer.
How she does it: She just keeps going, no matter what.
The moral of these two dreamer highlights is to take intentional steps toward your dreams and keep moving forward, no matter what your doubts tell you. The life of your dreams is closer than you think.
Ha, ha! You and I must be a bit alike, because I follow Leo Babauta and Jenny Lawson, too! I admire their ability to remain unique and authentic.
I agree they both are great. I just finished Jenny’s book and I can’t wait for her next one. Thanks for visiting my blog!