Have you ever considered your life’s purpose?
"Every life has a purpose, some just haven't found it yet. Have you ever had a monotonous job? - doing the same thing every day, and not really impacting the world in a positive way. There is nothing wrong with these types of jobs, yet…you and I were put on this planet to make a difference. Every day, we can do work that matters." stated Sandy Rees.
With the start of a new year is a good time to review your life purpose.
Here are three things to know about finding your purpose: A. The Benefits of Knowing Your Life Purpose
1. Purpose: Definition:
Life purpose, personal mission, your “why”—call it what you will, but being aware of it gives you the following:
Ability to shape your life according to how you want to live it
Sense of deeper commitment to your goals
Resilience to bounce back from setbacks
In addition to the benefits mentioned above, knowing your why increases your longevity.
Children often have a good idea of their life purpose. When asked what they want to be when they grow up, they often have a ready answer. “I want to be a doctor!” “I’m going to be an astronaut!” “A chef!” “An explorer.”
However, as they get older, these dreams are typically forgotten. Most of these children settle for jobs that provide financial security but do not utilize their full potential.
.In 2017 researchers from NYU, Princeton, and the University of Illinois collaborated to present findings from their ground-breaking research, revealing that by the age of five, girls quit dreaming and stop believing they can be anything they want to be or do anything they set their minds to. Jan 18, 2019 https://www.drmichellewatson.com/blog/2019/1/16/closing-the-dream-gap#:~:text=In%202017%20researchers%20from%20NYU,they%20set%20their%20minds%20to.
If we talk about ‘Your Why’ we need to define passion as well. Passion is defined as an intense desire or enthusiasm for something: "the English have a passion for gardens"
My passion or why to recognize and support others came from my mother growing up on the farm in North Dakota. She instilled in me the passion to support others by her example. For twelve years she stopped up to an older couple’s home across two fields from our farm: Margaret and Oscar, to help Margaret go to bed as Margaret had very debilitating arthritis. It didn’t matter if it was 5PM in afternoon or 1AM after leaving hospital 30 miles away, working in a small town. Yes, she was also a Registered Nurse. This is just one example she demonstrated.
2. Improve Your Health:
A 2015 study published in The Annals of Behavioral Medicine discussed that when following your passion, you are decreasing your overall stress and increasing your happiness. So why not do something you’re passionate about? Researchers found that participants who engaged in hobbies were 34 percent less stressed and 18 percent less sad during the activities, as well as for some time after. https://www.ucmerced.edu/sites/ucmerced.edu/files/documents/zawadzki-paper-2015.pdf
3. Action Plan: Help to define your purpose:
If your higher purpose is still hazy to you right now, the websites below may help clarify things.
a. The Positive Project Toolkit™ http://thepositiveproject.net/
The tools below are designed to help you maximize your potential and get the most out of life. Click on the links to access the worksheets and exercises. These tools are 100% free to you. Enjoy!
b, Complete this Life Purpose worksheet: https://www.bluezones.com/the-purpose-checkup-2/
Learn more about the Blue Zones here: https://www.bluezones.com/about/history/
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