1. What would you stop doing if you only had one year to live?
2. What would you start doing if you only had one year to live?
3. What do you need to let go of to feel a sense of happiness, well-being, and peace?
4. What and who do you no longer want to be obligated to?
5. What joy do you wish you had more time for?
CONTEMPLATION TIME
Take a long deep breath and meditate on your answers. You’ll be surprised at what your soul has to say.
YOU GET ONE LIFE.
Make it yours.
Dear Readers:
This video is equally a note to you + me reminding us to live with discernment and wisdom. For not everyone in our life appreciates the limits of our time and energy. And that’s ok. For we are the magic wand. We have the power to make choices. We have the ability to overcome social conditioning. We have the authority to change what and who we want in our lives. What and who we give our energy to unnecessarily, repeatedly, unconsciously.
So many people in this world are struggling with what to do with their lives.
An existential struggle that did not exist 100 years ago when jobs were more clearly defined.
Which is why it is essential to explore life purpose in many different ways.
PURPOSE 🆚 JOB
We must not confuse life purpose with occupation.
My occupation = Psychology Professor.
My life purpose is to lift people up and help them feel better.
Something I can do on weekends, at work, with friends, in my community, and well into my retirement years.
Our occupation transpires 9-5. Our life purpose unfolds 24/7.
Life Purpose Discussions – Everywhere!
The topic of finding one’s life purpose was an active discussion on social media (see screen shot below) and in psychology class (link to video) this week.
Social Media: What’s my gift?
This is how I walked a fellow instagrammer through the process of (re)discovering their life purpose:
HUMAN BEING 🆚 HUMAN DOING
Life purpose is a way of being.
A way of living and giving.
It is all encompassing.
Who we are is our life purpose.
We are 1 in 7.5 billion.
What makes us different also makes us indispensable.
The world needs our unique kind of wonderful.
No more waiting. No more searching.
Our life purpose is now.
A daily mission. Big and small.
Supporting others and sharing our gift.
We have purpose because we are alive.
Breath by breath. Step by step.
We are the dominos.
I hope you enjoy thisvideo message on life purpose too.
Reflection Questions:
When do you feel most alive and in flow?
How is your life purpose different or the same as your occupation?
If you could do any one thing for the rest of your life, and not worry about money, what would that be?
In what ways did you feel ‘odd‘ or cast out when you were younger, only to realize later in life that your ‘differences‘ were your greatest strengths and sources of happiness?
What unique, one-of-a-kind gift will you share with the world today?
We are all worthy – not because of what we do – but because of who we are. 🌷
I used to think about life purpose as some great big grand scheme for life, something we spend our whole life chasing after. Daunting for sure. At times overwhelming.
Then one day I realized that life purpose was a series of small, fleeting events, rather than one great big span of life. Bite size in fact. It’s the one thing we love doing, time and time again. Over and over. Day by day. It’s the one thing we love sharing. Moment to moment. Breath by breath.
What make’s your heart sing?
For me it’s making the person right in front of me (no matter who they are) feel like the most important person in the world. Engaging fully, completely, in every conversation I have. No matter how long. No matter how short.
I love making someone’s day brighter.
Whether it be lifting the spirits of my psychology students. Encouraging the barista at Starbucks. Smiling at runners on the trail. Sending my mom an uplifting email. Opening the door for someone at the college. Listening intently to my husband at the end of a long day. (Hint: No cell phone in hand.)
(Bite size) Mission for this Moment.
My hope for today is to make you feel like the centre of my universe. One smile at a time. One conversation at time. If only for a moment. (Sometimes for a lifetime.) Because you matter. More than you’ll ever know.
99% of blaming, worry, and rumination is a figment of our imagination (aka our ego). Remove the barriers to your joy. Trust this moment. Release judgment. Be still. Let go.. Happiness is patiently waiting for you.
