Does your life have purpose and meaning, or are you being sucked in by the numbing details of daily living?
In the pursuit of happiness, we tend to focus on what we do for a living. We are told, "if you just have the right job, if you can make more money, then you'll be ok." But that's only part of the story.
Many people are looking for their life purpose these days. This search is a natural, soul-driven urge we humans have to be self-expressed and to create in the manifested world. However, the search is often confused to mean only looking in the area of career. Our soul's purpose is way beyond what we do for a living, therefore, the search should be much broader as well.
Living "on purpose" means growing to our full potential as human beings. It means living life in service to something greater. It means using our unique gifts to make a difference in the lives of those around us. It means observing our life experiences in order to gain wisdom, soul strength, and inner peace. And it means learning to love more deeply.
Purpose doesn't always make us happy - sometimes it takes hard work, focus, and dedication to get where we are going. But it does come with joy: the joy of freedom from the past and from the prison of unproductive (often painful) thoughts and feelings, as well as the joy of having attained something - new awareness, inner strength, helping others, creating something from the heart.
Living "on purpose" encompasses a number of things, some of which are:
1. Knowing your true self. You've heard me speak of this before. I call it self-certainty. One way to look at it is: we know that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west approximately every 24 hours. There's nothing I can do or say to cause you to doubt that. We know it; it just is. What would your life be like if you knew yourself with that much certainty? You would be unstoppable!! No fear, no doubt, just knowing. The first part of living "on purpose" is the journey to gaining that certainty. The second part is using it to make your mark on the world.
2. Expressing virtues and values. The sun's nature is to shine, to bring warmth and vitality to this planet. This happens day in and day out, whether we're aware of it or not. Our nature is to shine as well. We are to shine heart-centered, spirit-driven virtues and values such as leadership, discipline, faithfulness, confidence, generosity, and detachment. When we express vices instead, such as greed, pride, selfishness, and insecurity, we are choosing a life full of overcast, rainy, cold and dreary days. When we block our own heart-sun from shining, life can feel pretty awful. Living "on purpose" means to clear the clouds of vices so you can shine your soul-light brightly. Life works so much better that way.
3. Using your gifts. When you know yourself with unshakable certainty and when you are living from virtues instead of vices, you can't help expressing yourself through using your gifts. You are here for a reason and your gifts have a unique purpose in the grand scheme of things. But you can't give what you don't have, which means in part that if you don't know what your gifts are you can't share them. Fortunately, as you give what you do have, you get more. Meaning, if you show responsibility for utilizing the gifts you are aware of, then you will be given more - more awareness and more access to the essence-gifts you are meant to be giving to the world.
The cool thing is, that when you are aligned with true purpose, the right people and situations come your way. The best job will make itself known. The "significant other" you've been looking for will appear, when the time is right. And if you're already in relationship, your couple is the foundation for growth and self-expression. Friendships are more purposeful, and you will have a sense of being guided in life. There is less loneliness, more sense of belonging. More fulfillment. More purpose.
It all boils down to your relationship with yourself and your relationship with a Higher Power, both of which provide the experience of being a valuable part of Divine Order. It's a glorious journey if you surrender to it. May you, too, find your way.