How to Find Your Life Purpose (in 7 Steps!)
I believe this question is being asked more and more. The quintessential human existence question. "What is my purpose?" "What am I doing here?" These are perfectly valid questions.
Human beings need purpose. Not only does it give us something meaningful to do, but purpose also brings us into alignment with our essence; it launches us into the highest form of fulfillment and self-love.
Today's post includes my own journey to finding my purpose, as well as the tools that helped me get there.
My Story
About 1.5 years ago, I started to feel burned out at work. And while burnout can definitely be due to workload, it can also stem from a lack of fulfillment. Before the pandemic, I actually liked work. Since the pandemic, that attitude changed.
Working in healthcare during a global pandemic will have you questioning things.
This sent me into a spiritual quest of finding my purpose and how it found me. I've broken the journey into legs:
Leg #1: Books. I love books. So naturally, I looked for books on this topic and found Discover Your Dharma: A Vedic Guide to Finding Your Purpose by Sahara Rose. Sahara intuits the wisdom of the the ayurvedic doshas (mind-body types) to help us find out what our general purpose is. Each dosha carries different strengths and this can help you get closer to finding your purpose.
Additionally, I read The Life You Were Born to Live by Dan Millman. This book uses your birthday numbers as a way to outline a general life path as well.
While books can help you find your starting point, only your soul really knows its purpose.
And after I figured out my purpose, I read a book on Human Design (a system of self-knowledge using ancient traditions such as the Hindu-Brahmin chakra system, I-Ching, Kabbalah, and the modern genetic code). The book was called Human Design: Discover The Person You Were Born To Be by Chetan Parkyn to help confirm things.
Leg#2: Asking the Universe. Through my learnings, I have found that we were all put here on this earth for a reason. Each of us carry a unique vibration that no one else has. This means we all have something to bring to the table. In various meditations, I would ask the universe to help uncover it (because the mind is an endless loop of chatter and will definitely not assist you here!). And while it would have been more convenient for the universe to answer me directly in my meditations, the end outcome was even better.
Leg #2b: Making joy lists. I list this as part of leg #2 because this was an ongoing practice that I did throughout the process. Joy is the key to our purpose.
Leg #3: Asking my people who are closest to me what my gifts are. Or where they find you to be in your purpose. I texted a couple of very close people to me and they would let me know what they thought of me.
Leg#4: Trying things on for size. One thing I tried on for size was reading people's Vedic astrology birth charts (Vedic astrology is the astrology of my ancestors). But this didn't seem to fit my energy, and I quickly gave it up.
Leg #5: Actually realizing what it was. On my 33rd birthday (this year!) I received a few birthday cards from my friends. One was from my friend, Kelly, who said she loved how much stillness and joy I am able to find in life (thanks Kelly!) and the other was from my friend Caroline, who said I inspire her to dig deeper and be more authentic. She also said that the inner work I have done is amazing to watch (thank you Caroline!).
When I read their cards, I cried, because I think they named what I am doing every day, without even realizing it! I had already planned to start this blog on spirituality and wisdom, but this really solidified the purpose behind it.
From what I have learned, here is a quick and dirty for anyone trying to find their soul's purpose.
How to Discover Your Life Purpose:
Set an intention: Do this in your meditations. Your meditations connect you to the universe. This is when you are in your highest manifesting potential. Ask the universe, "what is my divine purpose?" You may or may not receive an answer right away. This is normal.
Make joy lists: Joy and purpose are inherently interconnected. What lights up your soul? Your purpose will also light you up.
Focus on your gifts: Try asking your closest friends or family members to see if they can help you name them. Or, try using an online strengths finder. Your purpose is actually something you already are. What were you drawn to as a kid? Our childhood selves can often reveal who we were pre-conditioning and can uncover a lot about our natural gifts and talents.
Think about what you have overcome in your own life: Our pain points can be turned into purpose. Perhaps your past pain points have now given you a gift that you can share with others to help them through something.
Let go of any results: This will be hard to do, but it's worth it. There may be a lot of anxiety during this stage, and that is absolutely normal.
Wait some more: the truth may not be apparent to you right away. Like I said, you might already be embodying your purpose, but unless you can see it for yourself, it won't make sense to you. Also, when we are in an anxious or controlling state, we block ourselves from receiving. This is another reason that meditation is so important because it puts us in a receptive state for guidance, truth, and creative solutions from the universe.
Receive it, then formulate your own expression of it: your purpose can likely be expressed in a multitude of ways. As you grow and evolve, your purpose may remain the same, but the way you express it may change. Be open to the changes, and take it one step at a time.
Why Should I Try to Know My Purpose?
Our world is in a state of high chaos presently and needs healing. The best way to heal the planet is to raise the vibration of it. Living in your purpose helps you to vibrate higher and more positively, which emanates out to others who can feel it.
We have lived in a paradigm where over-working, proving yourself, and earning your joy (even earning your time off!) were the underlying themes. These are absolutely ridiculous creations from the patriarchy to keep people oppressed. And are completely untrue.
The truth is: you are inherently worthy of love, joy, compassion, fun, creativity, abundance, freedom, flow, and ease. All of these feelings are accesible to you when you are living in alignment with your soul's purpose!
Living in your purpose means you get to live a life beyond our wildest dreams, which turns out is good for the planet.
Most of us are here to be of service to others - in doing so, we contribute to raising the vibration of the planet.
Are you on a journey to find your life purpose? I will love to hear about it! Feel free to comment on the site or send me an email.
Love,
Angeli
Quote: "Do work that matters. Vale la pena." - Gloria Anzaldua
References:
Rose, Sahara. Discover Your Dharma: A Vedic Guide to Finding Your Purpose. San Francisco, Chronicle Prism, 2021.
Riley, Elsbeth. "A Beginner's Guide to Ayurveda & Balancing the 3 Doshas." MBG Mindfulness. Feb 23, 2022. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-1117/Ayurveda-Dosha-Types-for-Beginners.html. Accessed: May 29, 2022.
Millman, Daniel. The Life You Were Born to Live: A Guide to Finding Your Life Purpose. Novato, HJ Kramer, 1993.
"What Is the Human Design System?" My Body Graph. https://www.mybodygraph.com/what-is-the-human-design-system. Date Accessed: May 28, 2022.
Parkyn, Chetan. Human Design: Discover The Person You Were Born To Be. New World Library, 2010.
"VIA Strengths Finder". VIA Institute on Character. https://www.viacharacter.org/. Date Accessed: May 28, 2022