Finding your purpose and then creating a regret-free life can feel daunting to many, especially when you feel the pressure of 'running out of time.' At the core, we all want to know three things: That we have a purpose for being here; That our life has meaning; and that we matter enough to leave an impactful legacy.
Discovering our purpose in life is directly tied to creating a life full of joy and incredible experiences and connections, rather than regrets, worries and fears. The problem is, it's not so easy to know what our purpose is, and even when we do, it can be very hard to actually LIVE it.
So, here are 10 simple, yet profound, ways to discover your life purpose and begin creating your regret-free life:
Flip through magazines.
Look for images and words that speak to you even if you don't know why. It can help you identify your passions and what's important to you. Maybe even discuss these images with people that are close to you, so that you can talk it to and gain more clarity about why they resonate for you. Doing this can also help you feel like you're beginning the process of uncovering your purpose and this action takes us out of fear and into focused inspiration.
Identify leaders you admire.
Whether they are famous or the world's best kept secret, write out what qualities in particular that you admire and would like to cultivate in your own life.
If these are people close to you, ask them questions like, "what gets you out of bed in the morning?"; "What inspires you?"; and "Who do you admire and why?"
If they are well-known, read their biographies. You can get so many clues as to how they live their lives. Success always leaves clues about how to live 'on purpose'.
Notice the people in your life.
Look for people who you feel are living 'on purpose'. See if they're willing to meet with you to share insights, like: When did you discover your purpose?; How did you discover your purpose?; What are your top 3 tips to living a life of purpose?; What's your greatest regret? The key here, is to gain clarity and also see how diverse and expansive living a life of purpose (and without regrets) can be!
Set a morning routine.
It's amazing how quickly 'purpose' can reveal itself to you when you are mindful about being focused in the 'small stuff.' When we are purposeful about morning habits, for example, it ripples into other areas of our life. Set up a morning routine for your first hour of waking and start doing this every day. I recommend taking a few minutes to journal about what you are grateful for each day.
Be purposeful about the thoughts you hold in the morning, the way that you move and nourish your body, how you speak to yourself and how you engage with others.
It is said that how we do the little 'stuff' is how we do the big stuff, so if you want to thrive in your purpose-filled life, you'll feel better about starting somewhere.
Clear out your unhealthy habits.
Put a priority on health. We need to feel healthy to live a regret-free life on purpose. How much technology are you engaged in daily? How much water are you drinking? Are you spending your time wisely? All of the choices that we make directly impact our sense of purpose and our vitality. Choose wisely. We all know what our bad habits are, work on cutting them out and be gentle on the yourself (a.k.a watch your negative self-talk and be your own cheerleader). Health clears the mental clutter and makes you think clearly, making it easier to discover your life path and feel excited about life. When we're excited about life, we lead with and that is when those really cool opportunities and synchronistic moments appear.
Read books on soul purpose, goal achievement, and mindfulness.
When I received those really strong urges to get clear on my purpose, I felt restless and had an unrelenting pull to gain clarity. I devoured as many books on the topic as I could. The key is to move the tips and tricks you learn into action. My top 3 favorite books for people just beginning their soul purpose discovery journey are: The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron, Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach, and Stand Up For Your Life by Cheryl Richardson.
Start small.
It's easy to get swept away in the feeling that everything needs to come together yesterday, but, like all best laid plans, if you bite off more than you can reasonably chew, you will feel overwhelmed and get stuck in analysis paralysis. Once you have an idea of something you want to achieve, try it on for size - see if you really do like it before you dive headfirst. Remember: you always have permission to pivot, change your mind, and/or take it at a pace that works for you!
Get out of your bubble and meet people.
It is definitely not part of our purpose to exist in isolation. We are here to connect and learn from each other. People have ideas and resources that can help you, and you have the same for others (even if you don't know it yet).
To that end, make it your mission to network with people who are doing what you want to do. Not only will you learn from them, you may get an opportunity to jump into the work and see if it feels like something you want to sink more time and energy into.
Look for clues.
Each of us has at least one 'problem' that we feel a deep urge to fix, whether it be helping children, empowering women, rescuing animals, cleaning up the planet, and so on. There are clues in here about how you can make a difference in the world and it will help you to get more specific and how you wish to create meaning in your life.
Additionally, you may not even realize it, but people come to you and ask the same thing of you at the core. Maybe they ask you to 'teach' them about things, 'guide' them, give advice, etc. Noticing this will help you get even more clear about the way in which you are here to serve and contribute to others.
Make time.
It's important to make your purpose a priority. I like to have what I call 'Sacred Sundays' to go inward and touch base with how I'm living my life and where I want to focus my attention. Give yourself space to put your purpose on the agenda of life. Even one hour a week can help you to feel like you're moving in the 'right' direction.
There are so many free resources averrable on the internet dedicated to helping you live an incredible, purpose-filled life. Be sure to Google how to achieve your goal and schedule these steps into your calendar for specific dates and times.
Remember, if you've been called to gain clarity on your purpose, there's a reason for that. Take the plunge and have fun doing this. You've got this!
This guest post was authored by Jennifer Longmore
Corporate & Professional Life Coach, Jennifer Longmore, B.A.S.W., M.Ed, a former Forensic Social Worker, studied human behavior for many years before getting more in touch with spiritual side of human motivation and consciousness. In addition to having a Bachelor's degree in Social Work and a Master's in Education, Jennifer is also a Reiki Master, a Past Life Regressionist, and an Integrated Energy Therapist. Longmore is the author of many books on finding your soul purpose including "365 Wisdom Bombs"; "88 Universal Laws"; and others.
Ms. Career Girl was started in 2008 to help ambitious young professional women figure out who they are, what they want and how to get it.
