What would the world look like if everyone was living their true purpose? I believe it would be a much better place than the world we are living in now. I think many of the problems our world has today are because people are lost. They are floundering and not connected to their purpose or passion.
We all have a purpose for being here. However, most people follow the social norms, which are getting good grades, getting into college, getting a good job, buying a house, and starting a family. Most parents encourage a path of safety, instead of encouraging their children to go after their dreams and passions. It makes me sad that parents do this to their children.
Dreams and passions are what make life worth living. It’s what gets us out of bed in the morning and if you are lucky enough to have a dream then those who love you should encourage and nurture it, instead of trying to talk you out of it. Many children are so afraid of disappointing their parents that they don’t think pursuing their dreams is even an option.
I have always nurtured and encouraged my children’s dreams. My son is a musician/writer and my daughter is an actress. Believe me, it has not been easy for them. Most people are not supportive of people who pursue the arts and things outside the social norms. I am very proud of them for standing against this mindset and for having the courage to go after their dreams.
What if you throw out what society deems acceptable and what your family thinks? And instead follow your internal compass without any need for outside validation. This is the headspace you need to adopt to find your true purpose in this world. This blog is full of information to help you find out who you are meant to be. You deserve to be excited about your life and to feel like you are fulfilling your destiny!
“There is no greater gift you can give or receive than to honor your calling. It’s why you were born. And how you become most truly alive.”
Oprah Winfrey
true Purpose questions:
When do you feel most alive?
What are you good at?
What are your hobbies?
What does success mean to you?
When do you feel happy?
What are the things that you value in life?
What are your true needs?
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
What did you like doing as a child? Your eight-year-old self didn’t care about money or social standing. You just played and had fun. When you are pursuing your dreams and passions it feels like you are playing. It is enjoyable, fun, and makes you feel good.
What makes you lose track of time?
What can you offer the world that will make a difference?
When have you felt most fulfilled?
What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?
What would you do if you didn’t have to worry about earning a living?
What makes you angry? If you’re angry it means your passionate. Maybe you could use this anger to fight for something you believe in?
Roadblocks to true purpose:
Limiting Beliefs
We all have that voice in our head that is not always encouraging. It is fueled by our fear of failure and low self-esteem. This is often what holds us back from pursuing our true calling. If you can quiet it and believe that there are no limits to what you can do, then you will have an easier time finding your purpose. Check out my Self-Esteem blog for some help with your limiting beliefs.
Staying in Your comfort zone
We’ve all heard that to grow we need to get out of our comfort zone. This is also required to find our true purpose. To pursue our destiny we may have to leave the place where we feel safe and at ease for a while. This place keeps us from getting hurt, but it also keeps us in jobs we hate, in unhealthy relationships, and also from finding our purpose.
"Something about the social pressures of adolescence and professional pressures of young adulthood squeezes the passion out of us. We're taught that the only reason to do something is if we're somehow rewarded for it. And the transactional nature of the world inevitably stifles us and makes us feel lost or stuck." -Mark Manson
Helpful Exercises:
Jack Canfield’s Joy Review
Jack Canfield, Co-Author of Chicken Soup for the Soul and motivational speaker has a great exercise that is helpful when searching for your purpose. You sit down for 30 minutes and write down all the times you’ve felt the greatest joy in life. It is an amazing tool for honing in on what your passions are and what makes you happy.
Conduct a Passion Test
This test was developed by Chris and Janet Attwood, co-authors of the book The Passion Test, The Effortless Path to Discovering Your Life Purpose.
Step 1: Brainstorm Your List – By completing the sentences below with a different activity.
- When I was a kid I dreamed of ________.
- I can’t pass up a book or movie about ________.
- If I played hooky from work for a week, I’d spend the time ________.
- Most people don’t know this about me, but I really enjoy ________.
- I am the go to person when my friends need help with ________.
- If I could star in my own How-to TV show, it would be about ________.
- If I were to make a homemade gift, it would involve ________.
- I’ve tried it only once or twice, but I really enjoyed it ________.
- The closest I come to a runner’s high is when ________.
- If I won first prize in a talent show, it would be for ________.
Now that you have your list, it’s time to whittle it down.
Ask yourself if you had to choose between the first and second activities which one seems more appealing to you? Picture yourself doing both and then pick the one that makes you feel the happiest. Then take that activity and compare it to the third activity and do the same thing. Work your way down the list until you are left with the activity that gives you the most joy – that is your number one passion. Now go through the list four more times until you have your top five passions.
Hopefully, the questions and exercises above will help you to successfully find your life’s purpose. Once you know what it is you will be able to begin the wonderful journey of fulfilling your destiny!
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So enjoy reading your blogs, Audra! Good stuff!!
Thanks so much Nancy that means a lot!
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