About Living On Purpose
I used to be afraid to talk about purpose. Somehow, I thought it was reserved for advanced spiritual teachers.
But as we all know, I love to tackle limiting beliefs and reframe my mindset to create my life, well… on purpose!
Here’s a spoiler alert: we all have a purpose, whether we know it or not, whether we want it or not, and whether we decide to follow it or not. Keep reading if you need some guidance on how to figure out yours and want some inspiration to start taking action toward fulfilling yours today!
What is purpose?
There are different definitions out there. According to the Oxford Dictionary, it’s: “The reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists”.
According to Merriam-Webster, it’s: “Something set up as an object or end to be attained: intention”.
Purpose can mean different things to different people. I think the definition of purpose is personal. Because that’s what purpose is, it’s inherent to who we are and to our own existence. There are as many definitions of purpose as there are people on this planet.
Purpose to me is what I am going to do with the combination of:
- what I am naturally really good at: it feels effortless for me to do it
- what I really enjoy doing: I could do it all day without feeling like I’m working
- being of service: I can have a positive impact on the world by following my purpose
Living on purpose is living life in alignment with your values, your dreams, and your natural talents. It’s intentionally creating a life that will make you happy and get you excited to get up in the morning. It’s using everything you have learned in life to create an impact.
It can be as simple as being involved in your community to help and serve its members, being the “personal development” go-to person in your friend group that lifts up everyone around, or being committed to raising your children with love and compassion.
But of course, it can also be something BIG and crazy! It can be about having a big impact on society, it can be about changing the rules, it can be about accomplishing big dreams... It can be anything, as long as it resonates with you, it’s yours. Whether it’s big or small.
Mine is to inspire as many people as I possibly can to live life on purpose. My mission is to create a snowball effect of positive impact on the world. I can do that on a small scale. I can inspire my friends, family, and a small portion of people who follow me on the internet. But I am going to be honest.. I dream of having a big impact on society, I dream of inspiring thousands of people, because I believe in the power of inspiration and purpose to create a healthier and happier society.
I’ve always had a knack for big crazy dreams… I used to dream of being an award-winning filmmaker, I mean... I still kind of do but that’s for later, maybe in ten years... but I digress! Back to our subject:
Do what feels good
We all came into this life with special gifts and talents that only we have, no matter how average we might think we are. We are unique beings, and we all have the power to have a very specific impact on the people around us and the world at large. Because living on purpose, means that we will have an impact on the world.
Have you noticed how most people you look up to and admire seem to be fulfilling some kind of mission they came here to accomplish? That’s because they understand and actively follow their purpose.
They understood that they have a gift and figured out how to use it in a way that makes them happy and creates an impact.
Do you remember that one thing you used to do that felt really good and you dreamed of doing all day? Do you remember that career path you set out to pursue out of college but got distracted by other opportunities, friends, and family...?
That’s a lead toward finding your purpose. Those are questions to ask yourself if you are wondering what your purpose is. I’ll try my best in this blog post to give you some steps to follow to find your purpose but ultimately, this is a journey you are to take alone. The answer is within you, as cliché as it sounds, it’s true.
Accept that you have a purpose
Following your purpose starts with embracing the idea that you have one and that your life isn’t as random as you like to think it is. You have more control than you think, and a lot of things do not happen by chance but by design, to guide you toward your calling.
Once you accept the idea that you have a purpose, you can decide to go look for it, find it, and then act on it. Or not. You can also decide that you are comfortable where you are and that you don’t need to complicate things.
If that’s the case, I’ll ask you one question: when life is done, when you’re older and looking back on your life, career, and the joy and impact you had... do you think you will be happy that you lead a comfortable and risk-free life? Or do you think you will be happy that you took a leap of faith, followed your purpose, and ended up creating a life experience beyond your wildest imagination?
I know personally that whatever happens, I want to be able to tell myself that I did everything I could to fulfill my purpose, follow my dreams, and create an impact. I don’t think I have a choice either way. I used to be so depressed and felt like the light in me was dying. I couldn’t bear feeling that way anymore. It felt like I had to do something or my joy for life would disappear. That was before figuring out what my purpose was and deciding to follow it. Once I did, I found my energy back and became unstoppable.
If you feel that way, like something’s missing, something is not aligned, it might be because you are yearning for something more and don’t realize it yet.
Ask yourself questions, find answers, and take action.
How I found my purpose
I used to cruise life without purpose, I was good at following my instinct, and I often ended up in the right place at the right time and met the right people, but it had nothing to do with living on purpose.
For a long time, I wasn’t aware that there was something bigger waiting for me. But then I went through a bunch of identity crises (also called spiritual awakenings for those who are not afraid of these words), and the latest one really cracked me open.
I started asking myself questions like: How can I help? How can I be of service? What can I do in this life to have a positive impact on the world?
And this is when it all started. I started to have new thoughts, and new ideas I never had before, and following those ideas lead me to find my purpose in this life. Ultimately it led me to this moment when I am writing about finding my purpose and you are reading this blog post. This is my purpose being fulfilled right there.
Let’s be a little more specific so you can more easily recognize it if it’s happening to you. This is what finding my purpose looked like:
In 2020 I started to have an interest in writing, I never wrote anything in my life before besides journal entries. I had no idea what was happening, or what I was doing, but I started to write what I had on my mind. Nothing happened with those writings, but it was my first taste of: “hmm I like doing this”, but I couldn’t see then how this could ever be anything more than me rambling on my laptop.
At some point in 2021, I felt the urge to teach manifestation to my friends and I started writing a program to teach it to them. I didn’t know it back then, but this was the beginning of my coaching career.
Then I started a YouTube channel. Why a YouTube channel when starting a blog is much easier? I don’t know... I think the Universe knew I was still afraid to publish my writings as such and that making videos would be easier for me.
Eventually writing for YouTube lead me to start my blog, which led me to ask myself more questions, and eventually find answers. This is how I found the answer to what my purpose is.
Looking back, it all slowly unfolded from 2020 to today. Considering I’ve been here 38 years, it took me a while to get there, because none of this was ever obvious. But there’s no “right” age to find your purpose, only the right time.
Overcome your limiting beliefs
My whole life I was riddled with limiting beliefs. I had so little self-esteem and self-love that I had no clue who I was and what I was good at. I had been trained to turn off my light and not be heard. I was told that my energy was too much, I was too loud, too visible... So of course I started to think something was wrong with me and I slowly started to dim my light and lose my voice.
I had to find my light and my voice again before figuring out that this was my gift. It took me my whole life to figure out how good I am at lighting up the light within myself to guide and inspire others. Now it is so strong and contagious, it makes me a perfect fit for my purpose.
I had to overcome a lot of shame, guilt, fear, and limiting beliefs to get where I am today, and this is just the beginning, but I know I am on the right path because everything feels right.
Speaking up feels right, sharing my thoughts and ideas feels right, and sharing my light feels right.
Overcome your limiting beliefs, your negative inner dialogue, and don’t listen to others… behind all that hard work is the rest of your life waiting for you.
You can check out my blog post on limiting beliefs if you need a place to start.
You’ll know when you found it because you’ll feel amazing doing it
When I started coaching my first client in 2022, after our first call I started to cry. I cried because I knew I had finally found my purpose and I had no doubt about it. I felt so good, so energized, so inspired, I don’t think I ever felt that way before. Maybe when directing but honestly it pales in comparison now, and that’s saying a lot because directing really gets me HIGH!
I hung up the phone and I had stars and tears in my eyes, I felt light, I felt like this was the beginning of an incredible new chapter for me and I was right. Today I am creating a business where all I do is inspire and uplift others, and it feels good, it doesn’t feel like work, it feels like it’s meant to be.
When you find your purpose, you will know. There will be no doubt about it. You probably have already found it but ignored it because it wasn’t the right time, it wasn’t reasonable, it didn’t fit the plan... but do you remember what it is? Do you remember what it felt like?
Close your eyes and go back to that moment, let the rush of emotions and energy take over your brain and body. Remember.
Maybe it happened that one time you helped out a friend that was in a funk, maybe it happened that one time you were given a new task at your job and it made you feel great, maybe it happened only in your imagination that one time you allowed yourself to dream...
Only you can know. I told you, the answer is within. There’s nowhere to look but inside. Now I know a lot of us want to avoid that at all costs, but this is the price to pay to start living a happier life. Seems to me like this is something you can overcome.
Connect the dots
Isn’t it wild how everything is connected and even the smallest thoughts and impulses work out perfectly together to get us exactly where we need to be? Have you experienced that before?
I didn’t need to connect more than five dots to get where I am today:
- my love for photography, filmmaking, and content creation
- my newly found skills and love for storytelling and writing
- my natural ability to share my energy and light to inspire others
- my life-long dream of becoming an entrepreneur
- my desire to create community and be of service
The concept of onnecting the dots isn’t mine. You might have heard of it in Steve Jobs’ Stanford Commencement Speech in 2005. Ever since I heard that speech for the first time, I have been OBSESSED with the idea of connecting my own dots. I had to wait seven years between the time I was introduced to the concept and getting there. But once I did, it all became crystal clear.
That’s what connecting the dots is: combining everything you’re good at, what you enjoy doing, and your dreams... to create something unique to offer to the world. This is also what we call finding your purpose.
But of course, when I started to figure this all out, I was scared to death. I was afraid to speak up, express myself, and share my thoughts. How was I going to become a guide and teacher if I couldn’t even talk about my ideas? I had to start while I was scared.
Feel the fear, do it anyway
You will be scared, you will be afraid of change, you will be afraid of ridicule, shame, failure... but none of that matters. The minute you will start taking action and feel the rush of fulfilling your purpose, it will all disappear. It’ll be like putting on glasses for the first time, everything will finally make sense. Everything will be clear, and you will know exactly what to do to get where you need to be.
Publishing my first YouTube video was agonizing. Posting my first blog post was terrifying. Sharing my first “professional” post on Instagram felt stupid. But I did it anyway, and I wouldn’t take it back for nothing. Because knowing that I am going to spend the rest of my life doing that one thing that feels great and serves others, is worth any of the panic attacks I had along the way. It’s worth every doubt, question, and crisis I went through in the past three years and will go through in the future.
Why follow your purpose?
I believe that the more of us follow our purpose, the better chances we have at evolving toward a more respectful and healthy society. Because we will all be serving each other in the best possible ways. We will all be taking actions out of alignment instead of fear, and that can only lead to a better world.
What else could we be doing? Don’t we all want to live in a world with more love, understanding, and compassion? And don’t we all have the means to influence and inspire the people around us to step up their game and thrive for impact?
I believe in the power of inspiration. I believe in the power of dreaming up a better world. And I believe in the power of purpose and positive impact to build that world.
So, what are you going to do next?
