Why are we here?

I was speaking with a new client recently about the idea of our life having a purpose, what does it mean – how do you find it? Thinking about this afterwards I realised that it is only a question we tend to ask ourselves when we have tried all other ways of ‘trying to be happy’.

All through my early life I had an idea of what I should do to be happy – get married, earn good money, have lots of fun holidays, do something wacky (in my case hang gliding) and generally accumulate all the ‘stuff’ of happiness.

Stuff never makes us truly, deeply happy

I shall never forget the day I drove my new car up the hill overlooking my thatched cottage with the roses over the door (another thing that was supposed to make me happy) and realised that it all felt rather empty and meaningless.   I was angry at that realisation and soon left and set out to find what was missing.

It was quite a search and in that process I saw a counselor. After we had worked together for quite a while and I was beginning to get an idea about who I was, she asked me ‘what is your bottom line?’ I had never even considered what this might mean for me but it was a question that began me looking deeper within myself as to what might be important in my life. After thinking about it for a few weeks I answered her that I wanted to pass on what I was learning in my life to help others create a better life for themselves.

Without knowing it I had begun to articulate what my purpose was – even though at that point in my life I would not have seen it like that. It was a few years down the line that things began to crystallise and I remembered my answer to her question.

The desire to find our purpose can sneak up on us, especially when we are not looking!

For many, the desire to fulfill a purpose kind of sneaks up on us, especially when like for me, all else stops working. It is just not a concept that we are brought up with and so is not something we automatically look for in life. And defining and living your purpose does not mean that you have to give up all the fun stuff in life, it just no longer becomes the source of your happiness. If anything it all becomes just more fun. After all life is supposed to be fun!

Purpose can be many things – it certainly doesn’t have to be something global or lofty or even something public. It can and will be very personal to you. The main thing is that it makes you want to get up in the morning.

Are you wondering abut yours?

If you are beginning to look around the life you have created and started to wonder if this is all there is then I have a great gift for you. This month I am offering a webinar all about purpose – what it is, how we can define it and why it is important to our deep happiness. Even if you think you know your purpose do join us anyway – reviewing where you stand right now is always a good thing to do as I found out recently when creating my new website.

Do come and join me for this exploration of purpose, bring a friend if you’d like, and if you can’t make it on the day then if you sign up you will get automatic access to the recording.

I know from so many people that a deeper meaning to what we do in life is key to fulfillment – I look forward to helping you find yours.  You can save your place here.