Have you ever been running day after day, like a hamster on a wheel? You do the same things day in and day out, follow the same schedules and patterns, eat the same foods, see the same people, have the same expected patterns, until suddenly—BAM! You wake up. Your eyes open and you see the same things in a completely different light. You still look the same, but inside, something has changed. You may call it an “aha” moment. Or you may not be able to put the simplicity (and complexity) of it all into words. But you know—you feel—that something deep inside of you is different.

The next day, you go through your expected journey, except now you decide to take a different route to work, or sit with different coworkers at lunch, or leave work early—and—gasp!—do something special for yourself. But whatever it is, you’ve reached a threshold and there’s no turning back. In that “aha” moment, you’ve realized something incredible—that you are unique, you are special, and that your day-to-day life does not need to be mundane and ordinary. You were born to add color to your corner of the world. Now that you’ve awakened your light within, let it shine. Go forward and feel, and see everything around you.

Take in new experiences—have you ever stayed up to watch the sunset or meandered through a field and found a lone tulip among the wildflowers? Life is full of adventure. and often we’re not aware long enough to stop and listen. To listen to our kids when they create a fun new game; to watch the dog’s excitement as he finally finds that tennis ball that was hiding in the bushes; to watch ourselves as we get lost in the day-to-day shuffle, and then are brought back again by something so insignificant that we can’t even remember what it was. In these moments, we remember what being human is all about. It’s about making mistakes, taking chances, and making changes when everything in life isn’t peaches and cream. It’s about finding that sweet spot—when you feel like the puzzle just fits and you’ve found your happy.

Sometimes all it takes is something out of the ordinary to break your routine and help you to discover that life and meaning have been there all along—by your side—just waiting for you to turn the key and open the door. And now that you have, the gift behind the door is yours. You’ll never be able to “unsee” it or let it go. It’s yours. So instead of ignoring it, embrace it. Make it part of the fabric of your being and allow it to feed you, inspire you, and nourish you.

Finding your “aha” moment is a process of self-discovery. We invite you to join us on September 14-17, 2017 in Reston, Virginia for our annual Building Bridges for TCM Conference. Our focus this year will be on Consciousness, Self-Discovery, and Everyday Health. It’s not just a conference, it’s an experience!