Living on Purpose
(What Does That Really Mean?)
To me, Living on Purpose has a dual meaning:
1. Fulfilling your Life Purpose
2. Living with Intention and Passion
The two often go hand in hand and both are important. Many of the articles I write for this Ezine talk about #2, which is essentially synonymous with the Law of Attraction.
Today we will focus on #1 - Your Unique Life Purpose!
____________________________________________
Close you eyes for a moment and think about your work, how you spend your time and how you earn your money. What feelings come up? Then, think about your last vacation and notice the feelings that come up around those memories. Are the feelings similar between the two visualizations? They can be!
When you are Living on Purpose and Following your Passion, everyday can feel like vacation!
____________________________________________
Prior to uncovering and living my purpose, I worked in the corporate world for ten years.
When I was young, I never spent much time thinking or dreaming about what I wanted to be when I grew up. In college, I majored in business, thinking the money would be good, and at the last minute picked up a minor in Psychology, unfortunately discovering too late a greater passion. After college, I took the first job that was offered to me, knowing that without one I would be living with Mom and Dad.
For about a decade, I flowed from one job to the next. With each job I made more money, gained more experience and got closer to my purpose, but not once did any of the jobs I held fully satisfy me.
My last corporate job, pharmaceutical sales, partially satisfied my ever growing need to be of service, but after a couple of years of achieving goals, making money and winning contests (distractions), it too became unbearable.
Each day was difficult because I was not living on purpose. I knew what I didn't want to do, but I had no idea what I did want (or need) to do to fulfill my purpose.
I felt stuck, hopeless that I would never make money doing something that I loved.
Sound familiar?
When I was going through all of this, I didn't know where to turn or what to do. I grew more and more miserable every day, feeling like I was headed in the wrong direction. And to make matters worse, everyone around me thought I was in the best position and actually envied what I was doing! I felt like a fraud and wondered what was wrong with me that I couldn't just be happy in my position.
I grew so miserable that I took a sabbatical to figure it all out. During my sabbatical, I took personality tests, read books and thought - long and hard - about what I wanted to do. (What took me six months to figure out, I now offer as a 4-hour service. Necessity truly is the mother of invention!)
About eight months after leaving the corporate world, I went to coaching school and started my practice. These were the beginning action steps to a life lived on purpose. And the rest is history.
The difference between my life now and my life then is amazing! Now I am excited each day to get up and work, because I am passionate about what I am doing and I feel like I am making a difference in the world.
____________________________________________
As it turns out, a big part of what I discovered about my own Life Purpose is about helping others to Live on Purpose. I am a firm believer that sometimes what we struggle with becomes something important which we can teach others.
Today I offer some food for thought about your Life Purpose, straight from one of the writing assignments included in the Life Purpose and Vision Process that I offer. I hope these questions help you to live with more purpose and passion each and every day!
As you answer the following questions, allow your answers to flow effortlessly. Try not to censor what comes forward. Once your answers are on paper, read them with new eyes and look for clues about your unique Life Purpose (which can include paid and unpaid work and roles that you hold in life).
· What is most important to you?
· What comes naturally for you?
· What are you passionate about?
· What have you overcome/are overcoming from your past?
· What are your core values?
· What is your mission statement?
Whether you were stumped by the above questions or they "wet your whistle" and you want more information about yourself and your unique life purpose, a Life Purpose and Vision Process can assist with clarity and confidence. Please click here to learn more.
I have also compiled a list of books that assisted me along my own path. Please click here to view some of my favorite Life Purpose and Self-Discovery resources.
____________________________________________
I have experienced putting the pieces of my Life Purpose together as a process, one that goes as fast or as slow as I dictate, and with as much joy or frustration as I focus upon.
I hope you enjoy your process, wherever you are on the journey, and that all of your unique life purpose puzzle pieces come together with ease and grace!
