Last week I mentioned how I believe that one of the biggest problems society faces currently is individuals´ lack of self-knowledge and inner exploration. People are so busy keeping up with the speed of their lives and the lives of those around them, that they unconsciously neglect coming to terms with themselves first. Fortunately, it is never too late to find out who you are, and the sole purpose of the "A Path of Self Discovery" series is to help each and every one of the readers uncover their true beauty. I´ve discovered that once you do, you see life through a different perspective and are able to make decisions that will most likely lead you to personal happiness.
Have you ever heard the statement, "I don´t know what I am doing with my life"? I have, and it seems to be the outcome of a person wandering through life not knowing where they are heading. It is pretty common for people to just "go with the flow"; give or take opportunities as they come without identifying the lifestyle value they may have. What seems to matter to them isn't the quality of the life they are living, but the quantity of opportunities they can attract. Unfortunately, while this may be a great mountain-building process, it neglects the one person that would hire you just for being you: yourself.
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The first angle of my article series focuses on identifying your life purpose. A life purpose is the collection of goals and priorities your life is focused on, that you work on progressively (directly and indirectly) throughout the various life stages. For example, as a child you´ll probably work on it through play and mobility, and later as a teenager you will approach it socially. Obviously, this varies from individual to individual; however in the end, the outcome is pretty much the same: life satisfaction.
In order to identify YOUR life purpose, I came up with a series of steps (worked for me) that can be followed to get a better idea of what this could be for you:
1. In a piece of paper jot down all the things, people, values, places, moments and activities that seem important to you. Ask yourself "Where do I want to go with my life?" and write down every thought you can think of.
2. When you seem stuck or can´t think of anything else to write down, review your list (Don´t worry, you can always go back if you remember something new!). As you look over your responses, pay attention to those that make you smile, remember a moment you felt proud or even represent something you really enjoy; circle them.
3. Now that you have a pretty solid idea of what seem to be the highlights of your lifestyle, try to connect them in no more than a sentence or two. Always start with the word "To", as it reflects an ongoing process that still hasn't ended.
4. You´re almost done! Close your eyes and think about your newly created life purpose. Is it what you want to focus your entire life on reaching? If the answer is yes, then keep that life purpose in handy everywhere you go. If the answer is no, then repeat the process again; maybe you missed an important point that is worth including!
Keep in mind that this process may take different times for different people. So what are you waiting for? Get your life purpose hunt going!
