5 Steps to Find Your Life Purpose

Inc.com put out an exercise for us to try and find our life purpose. I accept that challenge. I am copying and pasting their article to answer the questions:

1. Write down all the the things you absolutely love to do in life. Be outrageous, open-minded, honest, and creative. Label it your “My Love List.” It may make more sense later, the point is to get inspired and let your imagination run free.

My Love List:

• Daughter
• Family
• Friends
• Reading
• Writing
• Traveling
• Reality Shows (Guilty Pleasure)
• Someone scratching my back
• Wine
• Pedicures/Manicures
• People Watching
• Netflix Binge Watching
• Walking (REALLY need to get back into doing this.)

2. List the things you do with relative ease. The very things you’re passionate about may end up being your purpose, but because it’s so natural and under our noses, we may even be aware of it.

• Talking
• Listening
• Writing
• Reading
• Daydream
• Review other’s work while I’m reading. (I’ve actually reached out to authors and let them know the issues I’ve found.)

3. Look back at your personal history. We all have unique challenges we’ve had to overcome with great success that may be a perspective nobody else has, but you. What have you conquered and need to share to make the world a better place?

• How to get past my divorce without bitterness.
• That forgiveness is not for the sake of others, but, for yourself.
• Living in a world where I have no parents alive.
• Going back to school later in life. Obtained my Bachelors degree at the age of 36.

4. Ask trusted friends, family and professional coaches for perspective. If you’re stuck figuring out what lights your fire, and can’t shake off your own inner critic, it may be time for objectivity. Other people will see things that you don’t,  and can help guide you to find something hidden inside yourself.

I’ve been told to stop planning/making goals and DO IT. Stop letting life pass me by.

5. Ask these thought-provoking, self-discovery questions to get you processing:

• What are the things you would do even if you didn’t get paid for it?
  • Write.
  • Offer an ear when someone needs to vent or get something off of their chests.
• What do other people say you’re really good at, or that you should do professionally, or do more of? Talking and Listening – Possible Counselor. Writing and critiquing – Writer/Editor.
• What is the one thing you want to experience or accomplish before you die? I want to travel. I do not want to be stuck in one location, feeling like I’ll never get out.
• If you had all the money in the world, how would you spend your time? Traveling and helping those less fortunate.
• What would your perfect day look like? Describe every detail. Sitting in a rocker on the porch of a cabin in the middle of the woods. Looking out over a lake or creek. Seeing nature at its finest.  Squirrels running up and down the trees. A deer and her babies drinking from the lake or creek, then bounding into the forest. Birds overhead, flying in and out of the shadows of the trees. Either a loved family member, great friend or a significant other sitting in the rocker next to me sharing in the delight of the day.
• What activities set your soul on fire? Traveling back roads, getting lost and finding new (to me) treasures that I wouldn’t have found traveling on main roads.

My conclusion is that my life’s purpose is exactly what I want to do. I want to travel and work from the road.  I’m not asking for handouts. My siblings may disagree, but, I do enjoy work. My problem is, I haven’t had a job that I’ve been passionate about. I’ve had jobs that pay the bills (barely). I’m 43 years old and am finally getting the career that I want to spend the rest of my life doing.