Is that how your life feels?  Just like a leaf bobbing along on a river, you’re carried by the current wherever it may take you.  One day blends into another and you move from meeting to meeting or task to task depending on your situation?

You can start to live a more purposeful life by designing your days and weeks. This is a great skill for phasing into retirement where there’s even less structure and your time is more your own.

That freedom is a blessing, but along with the refreshment of relaxing, there are several ways to break out of a mundane lifestyle and contour your life the way you want it to take shape.

First, pursue your passions.  Author Keith Ferrazzi says he believes that the process of emotionally deciding what it is you want to do is the most important prelude to being able to craft goals and monitor your progress towards them.  Find something that’s meaningful to you and pursue it.  It may give your life more purpose and meaning – or it may just be a learning experience for you that ultimately steers you another way.

Second, get outside of your comfort zone and take some risks each day.  Whether they’re personal or professional, they don’t have to be huge risks.  Learn a new skill, visit a new place, talk to someone who offers a different perspective than yours. Anything new will expand your horizons and experiences and give you the confidence to try more.

Third, express gratitude for the good things in your life.  You may not always be able to change course in the ‘river’ and it might feel like you are carried along by the current in some ways, but being grateful can help shift your mindset.

Finally, surround yourself with positive influences who will inspire and support you in the pursuit of your dreams.  Remember that everyone’s journey is different and yours only has to work for you.  But take charge of your destination – don’t passively ride the current where it might take you.