My wife and I were recently shopping when we saw an elderly man near us collapse. We asked the lady with him, who we later found out was his daughter, if she needed help, and she indicated she did. Fortunately, we were able to find a doctor and a nurse who were also shopping in the store at that time. Neither of them could find the man’s pulse so they started CPR. After two rounds of CPR, his pulse was restored, and by the time the EMS crew arrived, he was talking coherently.

Although the man survived this life threating event, it was a good reminder to me that our time on earth is finite. If you are like me, you go about your daily activities most days without contemplating the brevity of life.

A quality financial planning engagement has many practical and useful benefits. One of the most powerful benefits is the opportunity to intentionally reflect on what uniquely makes us who we are. After identifying our unique values, we are better equipped to align our goals and regular activities to our true selves.

Here are three of the benefits derived from living in alignment with our true selves while remembering that we have a limited time on earth:

• Live more purposefully – We live with a greater conviction about who we are and what we were created to do.
• Live more generously – We want to leave this place better than we found it and give more than we take.
• Live in the moment – We are at peace with our past and are thoughtfully preparing for our future; therefore, we can live confidently in the present.

Each of us has been given a specific set of gifts, talents, and passions.  When we align our life pursuits with our unique attributes, I believe we will find ourselves more fulfilled and satisfied.

What has been your experience? When have you felt the most fulfilled?