There’s a belief that only a lucky few know their purpose in life right from the start, while the rest of us journey through life seeking to discover it.
I actually think we are the lucky ones, though. We are the Seekers. We get the experience of a ‘Soul’s Purpose’ scavenger hunt in life, with the joy of mis-steps and tons of adventure along the way. We learn through trying new things, taking the things we love about them and leaving the rest. Just as many lessons can come from finding out what’s not working in our lives, while we uncover magnificent treasures along the way.
As a Seeker, our awareness of the process expands, realizing that joy is as much in the journey, not just in arriving at the destination. As Seekers, we inherit a treasure map, infused into ourselves and the lives we live, guiding us to our purpose, if only we pay attention.
Finding our purpose is all about picking up the bread crumbs on the trail of life, while enjoying the view along the way.
One of the greatest joys of being a Seeker is that even when we find our Purpose, we continue to seek, allowing ourselves to grow deeper into that purpose. When you find your Purpose, it will likely morph and change when you are a Seeker.
You may start a business and then close it a year later; you may start a career only to realize, not long after starting, there’s more to hate than to love; you may rebrand yourself; you may give up for a while altogether.
If you are listening to your own inner guide, then none of those things become failures, but extreme successes in clarity around what’s not working and why. When you know that, you can move forward with better direction and intention.
Here are the 5 Ways to Find Your Purpose When You Don’t Know What it is:
- Pay Attention to Your Gratitudes
What are you grateful for and WHY? The WHY is key to what’s important to you.
Make a gratitude list using the prompts, “I am grateful for ________. This makes me happy or benefits my life because __________”.
The more we are mindful of the bounty in our lives, the more present we become to our purpose. Make this new gratitude list for a month, then go back and circle the most common ‘Whys’ of your gratitudes. This is a great insight into an area of potential Purpose for you to explore.
- What Comes Easy to You?
What are your natural gifts and talents? What feels like it comes so easy to you that you feel like you could never charge people money for it? There is often a huge clue into your Purpose there.
Are you the good listener that all your friends come to for advice? Are you the one that friends come to for fashion tips or technical help? Make a list of the things that come easy to you, so you may reflect on those things as a possible Purpose.
- Listen to Your Inner Guide
Most of us live in a society that is moving at the speed of light with a to-do list a mile long. When we are moving too fast, over-busy, over-scheduled, and burnt out it is nearly impossible to hear our own Inner Guide (Intuition). Take some time to slow down. Take a break from electronics. Get out in nature and start to give your Inner Guide a chance to speak. When it does, start acting on it. By trusting the wisdom it gives you and acting on it, you begin to build a trusting relationship with the most important voice you should be listening to.
- What Do You Love?
Go out and do more of the things you love in life. Think of your Soul like a plant that needs to be watered by doing things that you love to do mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Play more! The more you do things that bring you joy and excitement, the more you will discover about yourself and your possible Purpose along the way.
- Get Clear on How You Want to Feel
So many people spend years of their lives chasing a dream, only to arrive there feeling empty and disheartened that they don’t Feel how they thought they would when they got there.
By spending some time defining, very specifically, how you want to Feel in your life, you give yourself the opportunity to make the journey itself all about the feeling, not just the destination.
This means digging deeper than feeling Happy in life. Try out some words like Wanderlust, Free, Expansive, Luxurious, Vibrant, or Golden. When you discover what Feelings are most important to you, you can begin to find ways to bring those feelings into your life each and every day of the journey, and create a Purpose around those feelings. They become your Inner Compass, for all the decisions you make.
By listening to your Inner Guide, listing your common gratitude whys, thinking of the things that come easy to you, doing the things you love to do, and clarifying how you want Feel, you will be following your treasure map to the Purpose you have been Seeking all along.