The journey of life is the destination itself
Each of us has an inherent purpose in life. Yet according to research less than 5 out of 100 people have even the slightest clue as to what that might be. Without a clear sense of purpose, it is easy to lose sight of the big picture and become caught up in a narrow view of life. In this way, we forget the essence of why we are doing what we are doing and our life becomes mechanical and uninspiring. In other words, we can’t see the forest through the trees. A life without a clear sense of purpose is not a happy life.
More and more people today are asking the existential questions,
- Why am I here?
- What are my real goals, dreams and ambitions?
- Is there more to life than this?
Knowing the answers to these questions provides a blueprint for thriving in every part of your life. Interestingly, living a purposeful life is not contingent upon the status of your job, finances or relationship. On a foundational level, it is the essence of who you are in every important area of your life. It is not as mysterious or evasive as some people make it out to be. We have found that when you discover purpose , regardless of your life circumstances, you thrive. You realize that the journey of life is the destination itself.
A Purposeful Happy Life
Life with purpose is considered a fundamental right of passage into the land of lasting happiness and personal fulfillment. How do you know if you are living with purpose? Here are three criteria for a purposeful life;
- You engage in activities that contribute to the world around you.
- You bring your individual strengths, talents and passions into everything that you do.
- You discover meaning in all of your life experiences, including the positive experiences and the not so positive ones.
Based on these criteria, purpose in life is dynamic and evolving vs. static and predetermined.
Questions to Discover Purpose in Life
- What do you feel purposeful about in your life today?
- Do you feel guided by a deeper calling or purpose? If so, what is it?
- What things do you want to be remembered for at the end of your life? Are you engaged in these now?
- Is there a cause, quality or issue that you feel passionate about? If so are you participating in it?
- Are you fulfilling what feels most important and inspiring to you?
- In what ways are you making a difference in the world?
Coaching and Counseling
Hilary Stokes Ph.D. and Kim Ward Ph.D. have been a team for 20 years, specializing in mind, body, spirit psychology. They are the authors of the bestselling books The Happy Map: Your roadmap to the habit of happiness and Manifesting Mindset: The 6-step formula for attracting your goals and dreams and founders of Authenticity Associates Coaching and Counseling. They are passionate about combining the best of holistic and traditional approaches to health and happiness. If you are interested in learning the answers to the most frequently asked questions on how to decrease stress and increase happiness sign up for their free video series.
