“The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for.”
Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
Is this life worth living? Why am I here? Am I meant to follow a routine? These are common questions we tend to ask ourselves. If you have been there, don’t worry, you are not alone. Is there a way to answer such questions? Living your purpose is the only way.
The fundamental question here is how? Knowing your purpose in life is the first step. This way you can come up with a satisfying answer to the questions we cast at the beginning. The next step is finding a place to express that purpose.
Yes, it is not an easy task, but everything worth doing requires some energy to make things happen. The challenge is on harmonizing what we already do with our inner need to express our purpose. What’s stopping you?
Some common mental obstacles restrain us from feeling the bliss of doing what we are meant to do in life. Let’s explore them for a bit.
Some mindsets that prevent us from living our purpose
As surprising as it can be, our circumstances depend on our self-perception. That’s why a meaningful life demands we make a mind shift first. These are some of such mindsets:
1. Feeling guilty for prioritizing ourselves
It is admirable that we devote our time to the people around us. That’s a natural thing we do for our loved ones. Wouldn’t it be great if we did that at the same time we care for ourselves?
The conflict between those two situations is only apparent. See, it is easier to create bonds when we ask for a favor. It sends the message that we do need them, that we see them as important and useful for us.
Be honest with yourself. Whenever you have to decide on something, ask yourself “what do I need?” “Is giving away my spare time aligned with my life’s purpose?”
Remember, we can only give what we already have. Otherwise, we won’t commit ourselves to our doings and will feel burned out at some time. As with everything, it is a matter of balance.
2. Being afraid of appearing selfish
Imagine a horizontal line. You are in one extreme while the people surrounding you are in the other. Focus only on yourself and you will be selfish. Focus only on others and you will lack self-love.
Balance is critical. Of course, being selfish will weaken our relationships, but sacrificing your inner self is not the way. Which is it then? Love, and that starts with you.
Filled up yourself with love, experience your inner reality, and see yourself as you are. In no time you will have so much love that it will splash people around you. Everyone wins. You will feel ok while others will feel loved.
Being selfish, thus, is keeping all the love for yourself. Love yourself, built it up. how can you share something you don’t have? Living your purpose is strong proof that you love yourself.
3. Expecting to be accepted
Let’s face it. We won’t be liked by anyone. One of the amazing traits of humanity is how diverse we are. That only means we will match with certain people while others will reject us.
If we play a role to be accepted, we will end up asking ourselves whether they truly love us or not. Being rejected for who we are hurts, it is very painful. Nobody can deny it.
Now, see it from the other side. Being accepted, for who we are, feels wonderful, awesome, and magnificent. Wouldn’t that feeling be worth the risk? But there is more.
We can minimize the risk of feeling bad because of rejection. How? By accepting ourselves as we are. Loneliness is frightening, but facing our fears is the only way to grow.
Besides, spending time with yourself is the only way to see yourself, understand who you are, and find ways to integrate your purpose into your daily life. Ironically, accepting yourself will make others accept you and be at peace with those who don’t.
The key essence of living your purpose
We have explored some mindsets that prevent us from living our purpose. What about its key essence? You may have noticed that giving ourselves space to express our purpose involves surpassing the mental obstacles we put on ourselves.
When we prioritize, love, and accept ourselves, we give ourselves a chance to live our purpose.
That woman with a strong desire to diminish violence against other women will find a way to use her passions in it. That guy with a calling to support poor people with great ideas will find a way to connect them with investors.
Those are mere examples, though they are a bit extremes if you like. In the end, no matter what you do, expressing your purpose is vital. You can either do that through your daily activities or dedicate your time exclusively to your purpose.
What matters here is that you create a space in your life to express your purpose. After some time of doing that, you will notice how everything fits. Each day will seem like a new opportunity and you will be thankful for it, for everything.
What about the initial questions?
Let’s answer them based on what we have discussed. Is this life worth living? The bliss we get from living our purpose makes it worth it. Why am I here? To live your life’s purpose.
Lastly, am I meant to follow a routine? When everything you do is aligned with your life’s purpose, all that will fill you with joy. You won’t see it as a routine. Rather, you will beg for more time to keep expressing your purpose. When you do that, time seems to freeze, that is, you lose track of time.
In the event you tried to create such space for living your purpose without the expected results, keep in mind that you can always ask for help.
We can build together a strategy that makes sense to you. One that harmonizes and integrates what you already do with your life’s purpose. Send a message, and let’s create together.
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Edited by Ludwig Laborda