Soulati-'TUDE!

People often say your destiny is in your own hands but there are times when you can’t control what life has in store for you. Most of us have a desire for happiness, though how many of us actually achieve happiness? You may be perfectly content with your life or you may be struggling with the challenges facing you now. Sometimes all we can do is try to get through each day and be done with it. But to achieve true happiness, you need to thrive.

Often we have routines in life going through the motions of our daily chores, but how often do we reflect on what makes us happy?

What makes you happy in life?

What can you do to achieve that happiness? The changes you make to your life may be small changes, such as taking a daily walk with the dog or writing in a journal, or large changes, such as moving to a new home or starting a blog. Perhaps your changes aren’t attainable in the near future, but it’s important to have dreams.

Do you have a plan to thrive? Are you thriving now? Are you taking steps to achieve a goal?

When I moved to England the transition was tough for me and my family. We moved in the winter, at the darkest time of the year when the days were brief and glimpses of the sun behind the clouds were rare. My husband was traveling constantly for work while I was trying to adapt to a new culture and develop new driving skills (roundabouts anyone?). Fortunately, we had the support of the ex-pat community at the girls’ international school and at the local American Women’s Club.

People aren’t considered new for very long in the ex-pat world. Three months after I arrived, I was asked to head the Welcome Team for the school, welcoming new families and helping them with the transition living in England. By helping others to adapt to their new surroundings, I was helping myself as well. I realized how far I had come in a short time and by sharing my knowledge I was able to learn a lot from the newcomers.

A year later, I started presenting “Tech Is Your Friend” to the newcomers at the American Women’s Club. I showed them how tech such as smartphones, Skype, GPS devices (called “Sat Navs” in England) and other tech could help make their stay easier and communicating with loved ones back home less costly. People started showing me helpful apps such as Tube Exits that tell you which car to board on the London Tube to arrive closest to your exit, saving time and hassle in your Tube travel.

The Wonder of Tech

Sharing tech knowledge and helping others in England was very fulfilling but when I returned to the U.S., that opportunity seemed to disappear. Friends encouraged me to start a blog about tech, so I launched The Wonder of Tech in January 2011. I wanted to continue writing for everyday people to show them how tech can help them in their lives. My blog lets me share my tech knowledge while helping others.

The Wonder of Tech has helped people around the world embrace tech instead of fear it. I have heard from many readers about what a difference tech has made in their lives. By sharing tech, I feel as if I am thriving and helping others thrive, as well.

I didn’t have a plan to thrive in my life, I was struggling to make it through the days when I was asked to head the Welcome Team. By accepting that challenge, I was led on the path to my passion, allowing me to thrive by helping others.

What dreams do you have? What passions would you like to pursue? What steps can you take to bring those dreams closer to reality? Are you thriving? Did you have a plan or did life guide you there? How can you change your life to make your dreams come true? Let us know in the Comments section below!

About The Author

Carolyn Nicander Mohr is a lawyer, wife and mother of three teens including a set of twins. She is a polygadgetist entranced with personal technology for 20+ years. The Wonder of Tech is her professional blog designed for tech lovers, tech haters and anyone else who wants or needs to learn about the world of personal technology in plain English. The Wonder of Tech also has appeared at philly.com, the website for The Philadelphia Inquirer. All opinions expressed in this blog are mine and are tech, not legal, opinions.

LinkedIn Profile: Carolyn Nicander Mohr
Facebook Page: The Wonder of Tech
Twitter account: @wonderoftech
Google+ Page: The Wonder of Tech

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