Finding a Clear Life Purpose

What would it be like if we all had a clear life purpose?

I say it would be unrealistic.  

I don’t actually believe that we all have one clear life purpose.

I believe that we have many, many purposes to our life.  And as we are participating in this game of life; if we are actually participating in it at full tilt, not only will our purpose become clear, but so will things start to materialize that allow us to live that purpose.

I am very very clear that I want to help people live a fully actualized life. Though I’m not so tied to the outcome as to how that will happen, I want it to be fun and full of life and excitement and hard work and probably some tears and awe inspiring.  

I just finished an enlightening session with Susan Palmer Wood, who is an Empowerment Coach.  We did a fun exercise in which we explored both sides of me, the one who wants to coach everyone and everybody for free because I believe in coaching so much that I want everyone to just try it.

And then the other side of me, the solopreneur who wants people to invest in themselves to do the work to make the change. Who understands not everyone is able or willing to make the leap right now and when the time is right they will.  

Unless they wont.  

Because not everybody is ready for change.  I wasn’t.  For many, many years.  

I can say I always knew that little voice inside of me that wanted something more, something bigger for myself.  But that voice that said, “who, you?” was a little too loud… drowned out that other, little  voice just enough so that it always stayed simmering below the surface.

And as it simmered.. and then started to bubble.. and then bubbled and bubbled and got hotter and hotter … there was no keeping the lid on it anymore.  To quote an oft quoted quote from Anais Nin (who I actually voraciously read in my 20’s -- I guess that simmering pot wasn’t ever so good at the low simmer) “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

So it’s taking the step, when the time is right.  When the steam escapes and you burn yourself.  When the bud is ready to blossom.  When the caterpillar finally is done transforming itself from literal goo into becoming a butterfly.  When that feeling in your chest is so heavy from want of screaming that it can only escape as tears. And you are tired of tears.

Only then, will you do anything to make a change.  To honor that voice inside of you that says, “let’s see what purpose we can find for you today”.

Because you might not know it today, or next week, or even 5 years from today.  Actually some people go to their death bed without knowing it. Without knowing that their dream is awe inspiring and will change the world.

Or, even worse, are those who know that their dream is awe inspiring and can change the world, but can’t, or won’t, find the courage to face it. I’m not sure which is worse.

Finding purpose is just one step onto the road -- it’s speaking up at the board table in a meeting, it’s the entrepreneur opening another store, it’s the politician climbing one rung higher, it’s going after the job that you are only 40% qualified for because your blood races with excitement when you think of it.  

So take off that lid.  Scream a little.  Maybe go fly a kite, just like Anais encourages us to “Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country.”.  

I often throw my kite into the sky, sometimes just for the fun of it, sometimes calculated to fly a specific direction and sometimes when the sky is still and I just have to sit quietly with the kite on the ground and enjoy the view.