This original article by Helen Mitas was previously published on Woman With Drive Powered by Porsche
It is a simple question that is sometimes laden with cynicism and doubt. Some people believe that living your purpose is a luxury, but they could not be further from the truth. Living your purpose is not a new age notion. It is about doing what you are meant to do, enjoying the process of doing it and living from a position of love rather than fear.
Many of us spend our days on joyless tasks or work because we do not know what we truly love to do, nor do we have the time to find out. Or we think we are too old to be thinking about a life of purpose or passion. If any of this sounds familiar then it may be time to reevaluate and change your life course. I strongly believe that where there is passion, energy flows and abundance grows.
FINDING MY “BABY”
I had just turned 40, and was well and truly over the life I was leading. I had had enough of office politics, peak hour traffic and my insignificant contribution to the world as a senior project manager. The prospect of spending another 20 years this way made my head explode.
Then I happened to pick up a book titled “30 Something & Over It” by Kasey Edwards on her journey of self-discovery and how she found her “baby” or purpose. As soon as I finished reading it, I was on a mission to find my own “baby”.
I started taking note of which parts of my day gave me real joy and excitement. I soon realised that having fought my own battles had made me passionate about helping others break through their own fears to do what they thought was impossible. That was my Eureka moment!
NURTURING MY “BABY”
After having discovered my ‘baby’, the very next step was to undertake the training I needed to turn my dream into reality. It was not easy to hit the books straight after a long day at the office but the moment fatigue and a lack of motivation set in, I would envisage what my new future looked like and found that I was able to do whatever was required to get there.
In fact, when I look back at those days of fulltime employment, part-time study and starting a business, I wonder how I got it all done. But when there is a purpose, anything is possible! When my hypnotherapy business, Hypnofit, entered the world, it was a wonderful feeling to know I had changed my life and set myself on course to live my purpose. And, what a rollercoaster it has been!
Starting my own business meant that there were massive highs and lows. The lows included feeling petrified at being completely responsible for generating my own income, and knowing very little about running a viable business. The highs included stepping outside my comfort zone and taking risks every single day. The greatest high of all was being told by so many people that I had changed their lives. Nothing beats that feeling!
HOW TO SEEK OUT YOUR PURPOSE
When seeking out your purpose it is important to look inward rather than be directed by the opinions of others. So ask yourself these questions, and dig deep to find the answers.
What do I love doing?
What am I good at?
What makes me happy?
What would I spend my time doing if money was not an issue?
What would I do if there was no fear?
Look for a pattern in your answers. What appears most frequently is tied to your life’s purpose. Once you have discovered it, the next challenge will be figuring out how to start doing it in stages. Do not be overwhelmed by the idea that you have to do it all at once.
Many people think it is too late for a career change but one of my clients has moved from teaching to hypnotherapy at the age of 75! Whilst you are breathing, it is your duty to fulfill your calling by doing whatever gives you joy, and this may not even be paid employment. It may be volunteer work, which is deeply fulfilling.
My mother-in law, for instance, volunteered as a caregiver at age 60 at a hospice on the Mornington Peninsula, and she loved it. Soon after, she was offered paid employment and ended up in a supervising role. This turned out to be the job that gave her the most satisfaction and it paid well. Once you have found your “baby”, proceed to these steps:
1. Work out what your first step will be towards living your purpose? Do it!
2. Visualise yourself living your purpose in as much detail as possible. You will then be in a position to notice, take up or create new opportunities.
3. Do whatever it takes to fully live your purpose and not that of someone else’s.
When you live a life of purpose, work no longer feels like ‘work’. It feels like a burning desire to keep going and doing the things that make your heart sing.
