Finding Purpose... Have you ever caught yourself wondering why you’re here, in this time and place, with that constant feeling of emptiness?
Do you sense that there’s something more for you than what you have now?
Perhaps your mind goes blank when you try to picture it, but you know you want something more meaningful, something that makes a difference in your life, your family, or the world.
Life should be more than just going through the motions. It doesn’t make sense to go through everything in life only to feel like you’ve gotten nowhere.
But how do we find our ikigai? Ikigai is a Japanese term that blends two words: “iki” meaning “to live,” and “gai” meaning “reason.” Together, they translate to “a reason to live.”
Let’s start by taking responsibility. It’s our life, our journey, and our responsibility to create something beautiful. Life isn’t easy and it won’t be; perhaps that’s where the challenge lies.
Life isn’t fair either, and we must deal with gifts given to us and taken from us, without any way of changing the outcome.
The first step is to recognise if we’re in a victim mindset or a creator’s mindset.
A victim mindset feels entitled, stemming from a fixed mindset. It denies responsibility to act and defend what we want. As victims, we think the world should pay off for our suffering, believing it’s everyone else’s fault.
This mindset makes us spend our lives dealing with the consequences of our lack of action, continually receiving more reasons to prove we are victims.
A growth mindset, however, is the creator’s mindset. It gives us control to respond accordingly to whatever happens. It makes us aware of what we need to do to create the outcome we want and prompts us to act instead of waiting for the stars to align.
It helps us understand our strengths and limitations, motivating us to do whatever it takes to get where we want to be.
A purpose without action is not a purpose; it’s merely an idea that will never make any difference in anyone’s life, including ours.
So, what does purpose look like for you?
It could be creating a better life for yourself and your loved ones, making a difference in someone else’s world, or even the whole world. It could be bringing your craft to the world, creating a better place for children, women, men, dogs, nature… whatever it is, it’s your purpose, yours to bring to life.
Finding What Lights Your Soul
To find purpose in life using ikigai, explore four key areas:
What you love: Think about activities that bring you joy and fulfilment without worrying about your skill level, market demand, or potential earnings.
Examples: Writing poetry, rock climbing, singing, reading novels.
What you are good at: Identify skills and talents you excel at, whether or not you’re passionate about them or they can generate income.
Examples: Playing the piano, public speaking, painting.
What the world needs: Consider the needs of your community or the world. This focuses on making a positive impact.
Examples: Clean water, skilled nursing, better education.
What you can be paid for: Find services or skills that the market will pay for. This depends on demand and economic conditions.
Examples: Teaching, software development, marketing.
Finding Your Purpose- Ikigai
Your ikigai is where these four areas overlap:
Passion: What you love + What you are good at
Profession: What you are good at + What you can be paid for
Vocation: What you can be paid for + What the world needs
Mission: What the world needs + What you love
Steps to Discover Ikigai
Reflect: Think about each area and list your thoughts.
Seek Feedback: Get input from others and research market needs.
Experiment: Try different activities and adjust based on your experiences.
Integrate: Look for connections and aim to combine these elements into a fulfilling purpose.
By exploring these four areas and finding their intersection, you can discover your ikigai and a meaningful purpose in life.
Living a Purposeful Life
The main intention isn’t to find something you’ll do for the rest of your life that will bring joy and fulfilment.
Life changes all the time—people, the economy, our needs, and values. Keep in mind that life is in constant flux, and what lit you up in the past may not be what you want for your future.
It’s important to constantly tune into yourself and make the right adjustments, like tuning a musical instrument after playing for a while.
Living with purpose is about bringing your attention and intention to your daily life. By doing so, you can identify where happiness and discontentment lie, giving you a roadmap to act towards what fills your cup.
Weed Your Mental Garden
Be aware of what takes you away from your purpose. Our habits and thoughts can be our best allies or worst enemies, so start by weeding your mental garden to stay with what truly brings you joy.
By eliminating what isn’t for you, you get closer to what is meant for you.
It could be the friends that are always letting you down, the food that drains your energy and health, the limiting belief that tells you that you are born to be defeated, or the job that is just taking your sanity without giving you any growth.
Create an environment where you feel supported and valued. In the end, that’s what success looks like: having a purposeful life.
Time Is Precious
Time goes fast! Don’t leave things for tomorrow. Don’t wait for life to align perfectly; it’s up to you to get your ducks in a row. While we can find purpose in life at any age, the later we do it, the less purposeful life we have left.
Keep It Simple
Finding purpose is simpler than we think. Start by making small changes that can make you happier and more connected to your soul every day. Everything will become clearer as you walk the path. Be open to letting go and to receiving, and let the universe do its work.
Remember: It’s Your Life, Your Responsibility
My ikigai? To live my dream life by supporting you to discover and live yours. To raise universal consciousness by bringing more of us to the vibration of love.
If you’re ready to take the next step towards finding your purpose, book a free call with me. Let’s explore how you can live a life that lights up your soul.
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