What's Your Why?

Have you ever given thought to your life's purpose?

Your "why" or your purpose in life is your reason for being. A purpose provides a motivation to wake up every day, a desire to be educated, and of course, a passion to pursue in life.

If you haven't figured out your purpose yet, rest assured, you're not alone. You can find your purpose at absolutely any age. It's never too late!

It might seem like a complicated and obscure thing, but really the key to discovery is simple...

You must start to live life FOR YOU, in YOUR OWN way.

Let's break it down- your life is given to you and with that comes a set of rules based on how you were raised and those around you. You must go to school, enroll in sports or activities, dress a certain way, live by a set of values, and so on. Along the way, you slowly figure out what you like, what you dislike, and maybe even what path you want (or feel the need) to take.

Most people end up choosing something to pursue, whether they think it will please someone around them, provide them with a good living, or in some small cases, because they truly love it. Reason I say small?

A 2016 study conducted by Trade Schools found that out of 2,000 adults, ~ 80% did not end up pursuing the career they were passionate about or dreamt about as a child.

Basically, the majority of people are doing something they dislike, and for what?! To me, what is the point of life if you only are content or satisfied with what you wake up and do each day? You should LOVE the life you live, and strive for every day to be meaningful. Of course, nobody has 365 perfect days in a year- but by doing what you love and living out your passions, your quality of life becomes so much better.

So now that you know WHY you need to find your 'WHY', here's HOW...

1. start a journal

The very first thing you should do is purchase a blank journal. This represents a clean slate and endless space for possibilities. Use the first blank page to personalize your book and remind yourself who you are.

In the middle, write your name. Then, fill the page with words, colors, or images that represent YOU. Think of how you would describe yourself, the things you love, and how others would describe you. This page should be completely positive.

2. explore the possibilities

For this first one, I want you to answer the following questions honestly on the very first page of your journal.

1. What do you love? List as many things as you'd like.

2. If nothing else mattered and it was impossible to fail, what one thing would you choose to do forever?

3. Where do you find your inspiration? Who specifically inspires you the most?

4. If you're actively pursuing something, do you love it? Do you hate it? Are you unsure?

3. research

From the answers you write down, think of the connections between what you love, what inspires you, and simply what your gut is telling you to do. Then, write down any career path or job that contains those characteristics, only listing the ones you could really see yourself loving. Then, research those career paths and specific jobs, and ask parents or friends to take a second look to see if they can think of anything else. At the end of the page, create a new list of all the jobs/career paths you found that you could see yourself being passionate about & loving.

4. choose your Top 3

You by no means have to pick your #1 if you're not ready, however, at this point you can narrow it down from your top 3 all the way to your favorite choice. Label your list "Top 3" or whatever number you have remaining.

Now you're going to go back to your beginning questions and compare them to your top 3. Which one matches up best to the answers you provided? Do you have a gut feeling about any of them? Make sure you continue to base this solely on passion.

5. Incorporate into daily life

Although you will still resume your daily life, doing the activities or jobs you might dislike, now is the time to introduce your ideas into reality. It is OK if you still have 2, but you may find it easier to pick ONE to focus on and prioritize first. So with that top priority in mind...

Find ways to educate yourself more on the topic. Go online, ask around, and get familiar with the possibilities.

Create a vision board or Pinterest board to gather/organize any inspiration on the topic

Talk with family and friends about planning your next move.

Decide overall what you can do to get closer to your goal.

6. make it a reality

After lots of planning and a significant amount of thought, it is time to start making moves. Think of the things in your life that do not match up to the passion you wish to pursue. Now go back to your journal, list those things, and next to each one list something you can swap it for.

For example, if you hate your job, make plans to quit and begin your new career path. If your major doesn't match up at all to your new path, switch majors. Think of anything in life that requires change, and slowly start to take action, while staying cautious of how much you take on. You should not be overwhelming yourself.

7. stay mindful & positive

Mindfulness is a HUGE part of success. There is the physical action of doing what you love, and then there's the mindset. You should actively be thinking positively, taking care of your state of well-being, and truly believing you are living your dream.

Continue to journal, get inspired by quotes or influencers, meditate, and listen to music or podcasts that inspire you.

Check in with yourself from time to time and make sure this is something you still love. Make sure you know the difference between something being challenging versus being completely unenjoyable. One person can have multiple purposes.

8. stick to your gut & never quit

Now that you are on a new track, keep in mind things are going to get tough. Every day won't be 100% perfect, and everything has a way of working out when the time is right. Stick to it, don't give up, and always follow your gut.

There's no way to completely plan your career path and predict when you'll have success, but as long as you continue to do what you love and follow your instincts, life will find a way of leading you to your purpose.

Final Thoughts
Everything about chasing your dreams is exciting, but remember that the whole point of living your purpose is loving what you do every. single. day. Don't forget to enjoy the climb and to focus on the present, not just the end result.

Ready to start living your purpose?

Be sure to share your progress on all your social channels using the hashtag #LIVEYOURPURPOSE & email or inbox me sharing your stories!