You’ve decided it’s time to rethink your PURPOSE! Bravo to you for having the courage to give yourself permission & space to reflect on this. That is OUTSTANDING! ….but your head hurts just THINKING about how to tackle this mission.
After having coached dozens of women through this process I want you to know you’re not alone in feeling that way–you’re simply HUMAN (and that’s beautiful)! Here’s the 3 most common traps that often come up for my clients searching for their next purpose and a tip on how to avoid them–
TRAP 1: ASSUMING PURPOSE IS THIS BIG, GRANDIOSE THING.
Can I tell you a massive secret? I think we all have the same purpose deep down. In the book Repacking Your Bags the authors lay out a basic framework for purpose/success that goes something like this—
- Being in a place you love
- With people you love
- Doing what you love
- ….on purpose
It’s just that there’s so many options to define it! Right?!
- What happens when you break down your purpose in those buckets? What becomes possible?
Perhaps a small shift in one bucket might make a big shift in the overall quality of your whole life right now.
TRAP 2: THINKING THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN FIND PURPOSE IS IN WHAT YOU DO IN THE WORLD.
For years I defined purpose very narrowly as what I DID in the world. Yet there’s an immense amount of purpose to be found in how you choose to BE in the world. In Gregg Levoy’s book Callings he notes that it can be powerful to open up our minds and hearts to finding purpose in how we choose to be as well!
- What are some ways of BEING you can choose today that create purpose in your life?
These can be instituted right now in this very moment! No massive career or lifestyle change necessary. Try playing with how you choose to BE first. What you DO may take a bit longer to shift (and that’s totally normal!).
TRAP 3: ASSUMING WE ONLY GET ONE SHOT, MAYBE TWO TOPS.
That’s a lot of pressure to put on this choice when reality shows us we often have multiple chances for multiple callings in our life. Let yourself right off that hook! Instead think of this time as simply looking to outline the next chapter or book in the whole anthology of your beautiful life.
- What book or chapter might you enjoy reading next in your life’s anthology?
Give yourself permission to experiment and change your mind as you learn new things about yourself along the way. This process takes time to unfold–above all else be gentle with yourself, Dear One.
Hope these traps & tips help you as you define your next chapter! If you’d like even more support to dig into this meaty topic I invite you to join me for a 1-on-1 Values & Vision Session where I support you with powerful questions & tools to get clear on what you want for the next book in your life’s beautiful anthology. Or if you’re eager to get support not only on the visioning but the ACTING part too check out my private coaching engagements.