During the holidays, are you feeling stretched and overwhelmed, or truly enjoying the connections between what matters most? This week we’re Off Balance On Purpose strengthening lifelines!

I am an advocate for strengthening your lifelines – the vital connections between your five spheres of influence – Work, Relationships, Health, Spirit, and Passions. And there aren’t many people I know who do this better than my friend, Art Wood. For more than 12 years Art and I played together in our church band connecting lifelines of friendship, faith and love of music.  And today, Art hosts a richly-connected holiday tradition.

We’re at Smoke Rise golf club where Art hosts an annual event for friends and business associates of all walks of life for multiplied purpose: Shared love of golf, donations to the Salvation Army, and in memory of his father, Art Wood, Senior.  Art’s dad started this tradition, and Art joyfully keeps it alive and well to honor his memory, their shared love of the game and the cause, and a deeply held faith in God and in service to others.

There were four things Dad was passionate about: First, his faith and his family, and he lived that everyday. But then he took his next two things, which was Salvation Army and giving back, and golf, and was able to combine that all and now, if you look at sixteen years later all four of them are combined.  Here we are with hundreds of thousands of dollars raised, and thousands of toys.

Obviously, this is purposeful fun, and the need for donations this year is truly critical. But it doesn’t happen easily. In fact this takes enormous effort, especially with precautions for COVID. But every task, invitation, and donation request is fueled by meaningful purpose. The effort expended is an expression of love and an affirmation of what is truly valued.

So how can you strengthen your holiday lifelines? Lean deeply into the meaning of your traditions and the memories that you choose to create and elevate. Connect your passions to deeper purpose, your friends and family to your faith, and your work and effort to joyful meaning. The result will be a personal expression of what you truly value, and you may be surprised to see it take on a life all its own.

Until next week, stay Off Balance On Purpose.