3 steps to finding your life purpose (+ free guide)
In this blog post I'm going to share with you a simple exercise to help you find your life purpose. There's also a free guide which will support you in diving deeper.
A few weeks back I had a really great day. Nothing extraordinary happened - it was just a typical day filled with clients sessions, working on Be Her Bootcamp (my online course), cooking a nice dinner and quality time with my man & pups. But when the day came to a close, at my core, I felt deeply satisfied and fulfilled.
When I took a deeper look at why this particular day felt so good I realized I was living on point with my purpose.
When I talk about life purpose I don't necessarily mean work - although it can be. I mean the thing(s) that light your soul on fire.I mean living a life that is aligned with the truest expression of who you are and then having the courage to shine that out into the world.I love Danielle LaPorte's take on life purpose...
“So many people are looking for it: their Big Life Purpose.
Becoming YOU is your purpose.
YOU are the very purpose of your existence. Realizing what lights your soul on fire and floats your boat - that’s your life purpose. What else could it be?
If it gives you true joy (not the seemingly happy high that is fleeting, but the reliable, always -there kind of satisfaction) to rock that guitar, to make people laugh, to discover the world, to make things a little more beautiful wherever you go, to feed, to stir it up, to clean it up, to execute the plan, to bank the cash, to be a compassionate citizen, to explore nonstop, or purely to seek pleasure… then, that’s your purpose!
Your life purpose is what you say it is.
Who could tell you otherwise?”
Before I dive into showing you how to come up with your purpose, let’s get clear on what I mean by it:
- When I talk about your purpose, I don’t mean profession, but the WHY behind why you do what you do. The reason you’re here. Your unique calling. YOUR purpose.
- Your purpose isn’t limited to one thing. There many be many elements which make up your purpose.
- Your purpose is not something you do, but something you are.
- It’s not a title - doctor, mom, teacher, etc.. That’s how you bring your purpose into the world, but it’s not your purpose.
- Our profession can one of the ways we express our purpose, but it doesn’t have to be. When our profession is gone, our purpose will still stand true.
- The way we express our purpose can often change as we go through life’s stages.
- Your purpose will resonate deeply with your soul and feel like coming home to your true self.
I know the idea of a finding your life purpose can feel daunting, so let me tell you about my personal experience.Back in 2011 I attended a self-growth workshop. This was at a time when I felt extremely lost, stuck, and confused about my career. One of the activities was to create a Soul Sentence.
This is the statement I created:
“The purpose of my life is to be inspired & inspire others, to live in beauty & bring beauty to others, to be compassionate with myself & others, to live in happiness, and to guide others on their journey.”
I wrote this on August 24th, 2011. Almost a year before I quit my soul sucking job and began the process of redesigning my life.Even if I wasn’t consciously aware of what my purpose was, something within me clearly knew because the words flowed effortlessly.At the time I had no idea that the next chapter of my life would lead me into coaching training and “guiding others on their journeys”.I truly believe we all carry the answers within us, we just have to create the safe space for that part of us to come out and play.
Now, it’s your turn!
Step #1:
To come up with your Life Purpose statement you’re going to spend some time free-writing using the same prompt over and over again.The prompt is “The purpose of my life is: _________________ ."I know it’s simple and that’s the beauty of it. We don’t need to over complicate this. Just let the words flow and trust what comes up.Grab a pen and paper and dive in by writing and filling in the blank over & over until you feel complete:
The purpose of my life is: _________________ .
The purpose of my life is: _________________ .
The purpose of my life is: _________________ .
The purpose of my life is: _________________ .
The purpose of my life is: _________________ .
Step #2:
Now read back through what you've written. Cross off anything that doesn't feel good or feels like a should. A should will feel energetically draining or heavy.
Step #3:
Once you've eliminated the shoulds, put it all together to create your Life Purpose Statement. Again, don't overthink this. Trust the wisdom from within. You've got this!
I know...
I know this exercise seems simple and that's the beauty of it! Often (as humans) we like to over complicate things. But remember, on some level you already know your purpose!If you'd like to take this a step further and find your dream career, I invite you download a free eBook that I made for you, Get Clear on Your Career. To do so just click the below graphic.
And last, but not least, share your Life Purpose statement in the comments below. I can't wait to see what you've created!Cheers to becoming the women we were born to be and living on point with our purpose!
XO... Em