The search for purpose
What am I living for and what am I dying for are the same question
When I first started out on my path of self discovery, I was consumed about finding my purpose, thinking that once I found my purpose then everything would fall into place. I knew that Accountancy / Auditor was not the ‘role’ I had chosen to come here and express but if that wasn’t then what was?
What followed was a period of wrecking my own head with ‘my purpose’!
A Natural Part of the Cycle of Life
The ‘life purpose’ question is almost like the search for the ‘Holy Grail’ which was believed to have sacred and mysterious powers.
This search creates the illusion that purpose is out there to be found, that it is something outside of you – something you would be or do, something that has a label – I always felt that I just needed to find it or be told it and all would be good in my world again. Believe me, it was not a great place to be living – the constant searching.
We can put ourselves in a space that until that holy grail of Here’s my life purpose is found, life can feel perpetually lacking.
The myth of the Holy Grail shows us that this quest, or search, did not always involve a physical object but for some it represented a religious state of grace or union with God and for others the realisation of the kingdom of heaven within and the higher meaning of life i.e. the inner journey.
The life purpose search is almost the same, we usually go outwards searching and looking for the answers to finally come inwards and from within listen to the answers. We may not like those answers as there is the idea that the purpose has to be big (heck, there might even be trumpet music with it).
We always think that it can’t be where we are…
it has to be somewhere / something different…
more exotic…
more unusual…
more unique…
what if your purpose is exactly where you are but you are of running around looking for it everywhere else.
What if the purpose of life is to truly live?
What if It’s Not about What you do?
So often we think our purpose is what we do… what if it’s nothing about what we do but who we are.
Over the years, for me this resonates – that it’s about discovering, nurturing, knowing and being more of who I am and on those moments or days when I get lost, I can gently guide myself back to my centre.
To embody the fullness of my essence and how I bring and express that essence and energy into my relationships, my work, my passions, my mission, my family, my hobbies, my day to day life, my thoughts, my behaviours is where the true freedom lies for me.
For me that means knowing that who I am in this moment is perfect in my imperfection. Note I said for me – as it may be different for each of us. It is more important for me truly embody myself than to be able to answer the question ‘what is my life purpose’.
I once heard someone say ‘the purpose of life is to create your purpose’ that you get to decide what it is in any given moment, that it is not something that is put on you but something that you actively participate in.
Who is to say that our life purpose doesn’t change, at some given moment you may be called to be caregiver for a family member and that is your purpose, at another stage you may be called to be a Mother and that is your purpose and at another stage you may be called to go out into the world and share your story or you may be called to nurture and nourish your garden and grow your own food and that is your purpose or you may be called to serve in another way…
YOUR WAY, not mine… not your favourite author…not Beyonce…not whoever you admire..YOUR WAY
What if...
What if your purpose is something that is seemingly ‘simple’ and we ignore that aspect or don’t feed that part as it’s not important enough, glitzy enough, instagrammable enough or it’s not part of what we do.
What if your purpose is to:
- to learn to truly nurture and nourish your body, and by doing so you become an inspiration for your fellow sisters to do the same
- to learn to sit in stillness, and by doing so be a lighthouse for others lost on their way
- to learn to be in the pauses, and by doing so capturing all the beauty of life that is right in front of you everyday
- to listen to that voice within, and by doing so create a stronger connection to the higher power within you
- to listen to that voice within, and by doing so create a stronger connection to the higher power within you
- to be the calm in the storm at your workplace, and by doing so create a space for others to step into that calm
- to take care of yourself so you have more energy to serve others
- to forgive yourself and others, so you can allow compassion to fill your life, others and the entire world
- to learn to truly love yourself and all aspects of yourself so you can be a mentor for others to do the same
- to let go of all the expectations you place on yourself and by doing so find yourself in a place of freedom
- to talk to yourself kindly so you can stay open to your inner guidance and choose a different path rather than that of beating yourself up
- to release all your feelings of unworthiness so you can share the gift of knowing your true worth with your family and children and allowing them to know that anyone’s worth is not related to their title, job, calling and everything to do with how they treat themselves and others
- to be gentle so your loving touch, smile, embrace or even glance can heal your own wounds as well as that of other hurt souls
- to be truly vulnerable, so you can release the shame and guilt and see beneath it all the courage and strength that lies within you
- what if...
Time to explore what it means to you
So if you could allow yourself to choose your purpose now.. what would it be?
You could also add a value to it… choose to live life with authenticity…with courage…with joy…with peace…with connection… with compassion… with the knowing that everyone is doing the best they can.
Whatever is important to you, live it in a way that lights you up and if you decide that what lights you up in this moment, doesn’t light you up in 5 months or 5 minutes or 5 years then choose something else and continue to truly live and embrace life.
So I invite you to consider deeply the actions and choices that support you living a life purpose of choosing to truly live (with *insert a value here*).
What would you do differently?
What might you bring more of into your life?
What might you have a deeper appreciation for that’s already right here, right now?
