Living with Purpose Even When You Feel Like You Haven’t Found It Yet

There’s a funny thing about life that keeps us scared until it lets us leap.

For most of us, we feel as though we cannot leap until we’ve found reason to jump.

In other words, we cannot boldly step into our lives until we find the “purpose” driven reason to do so.

And for that reason, I’m calling BS.

Welcome to today’s topic:

Living with Purpose Even When You Feel Like You Haven’t Found It Yet

We all love a bulleted list don’t we? Only 5 points? Even better. Let’s begin.

Here are a few purpose-filled ways we can start leaping towards our purpose today:

1. When in doubt, learn. Adding new skills or perfecting rusty ones is a foolproof way off adding worth to your toolbox/resume. Educating yourself in every season of life is a vital self-serving step we can all take on — whether it’s something major like a new language or something handy to have in your back pocket like CPR. Placing yourself in the way of knowledge is one of the smartest things we can do for ourselves when we simply don’t know what we SHOULD be doing.

“Google University" (i.e. Skillshare) provides endless lessons and tutorials ranging from how to work a DSLR camera to coding your very own website. In addition many universities provide continuing education courses (FOR FREE) for graduates. Many communities also offer incredible resources and workshops for little to no cost.

2. Find your Red Thread: One of my favorite books regarding the hunt for purpose is “Restless” by Jennie Allen. In her book, she details the illustration of finding your “red thread,” or in other words — the single (or couple), greatest theme(s) that have woven your life together with purpose. She encourages readers to map out and/or journal the things you spent your time doing in your youth -- and beyond (i.e. clubs, groups, hobbies, causes) that brought you joy or meaning in every new period of your life. Maybe it’s a constant theme of helping others…maybe it’s a red thread of creating in an artistic setting…maybe it’s managing projects…etc. Leaning into your “red thread” is a good indication of the field of study/work your purpose may be found in.

3. Try new things: You know what they say, you’ll never know until you try. Pushing yourself outside of your limits is an incredible way of discovering things you may never knew you loved — and possibly finding new things you never knew you hated. Ha! And heck — you’ll never know who you’ll meet.

4. Encourage Your Friends: GALS (and boys, too) — If you are not relentlessly cheering your friends on, you’re totally missing the point of community and friendship. Bitterness (jealousy, sadness, etc) towards success is in no way a step forward. In fact, in my opinion, it’s a giant step backwards in ever figuring out what you’re on this earth to do. When you don’t know what to do — start with the one thing you’re called to do: LOVE.

5. Read a dang book. The self help aisle at Barnes & Nobles (ok fine, Amazon) is bursting at the seams. BUT - I encourage you to dive a little deeper. I heard a quote recently that went something like this: “In this day and age, to stay ignorant about something is a choice.” What are you learning about in the world that’s motivating you to be better today? Is it a global crisis? A new initiative? A new development in technology? The list is endless. Whether it’s finding a problem to solve, a mission to start backing or a new field to research, you’d be surprised what you’ll find between the covers of a paperback book.

While this list is small, it certainly contains a few good points. Sit at coffee shops staring at the wall all you want, but your purpose for living isn’t just going to hit you on the head if you aren’t moving towards it.

Don’t let your dreams catch you when you’re sleeping.

Outfit #gifted by Boden Clothing. #sponsored