Did you lose your purpose? Here's my 3 tips where to look for it!

(Published originally in Feb 2019)

Last week I flew to Finland. While waiting for my flight at Gatwick airport, I started chatting to this gentleman next to me.

Ryan is in his mid-fifties, about to embark on one of his last work trips – ever! That evoked my curiosity, so I asked about it.

It turned out to be a heart-wrenching story. Ryan’s friend had suffered a heart attack at the age of 50 and, unfortunately, he had passed away. Ryan told me how his friend never got to experience any of the fun things he had planned for his golden years.

Never got to experience.

Never.

After this event Ryan decided he’s going to retire early. He saw the event as a sign to do something different.

I recognised myself in Ryan’s thought pattern.

I had been in a similar place – knowing I need to change both my destiny and my life.

I told him how some called me crazy for quitting my job without knowing exactly what I’d do next.

And I shared with him the frustration I felt as our societies still reward the more ‘traditional’ lifestyles rather than people who seek more growth, contribution, fulfilment and purpose. I was kicked out of the traditional gang for sure.

I admitted it requires courage to walk this path. It can get lonely – and it will be hard.

And…sometimes in the dark hours of the night I also thought I had gone bonkers.

But, something was brewing inside me and it was something that wasn’t leaving me alone.

Ryan and myself got into a deep conversation about life purpose and I shared my personal journey of finding bucket loads of purpose in my life. This journey that included looking into three very different places:

1.    Going back to things that made me happy as a child

Often our childhood plays and preferences contain key information about things that really make us happy.

Sometimes, when we take a close look at our lives and the journey we have experienced so far, we might surprise ourselves by finding something that has always been there. Just somehow, we have forgotten.

I started doing fun things, big and small, in order to incorporate more joy into my daily life. Sounds simple but if you are being honest, we often have more ways to make us miserable rather than to make us happy.

When we are happy we expand our thinking and world views immensely – while having more fun!

2.    Practicing gratitude each and every day

Gratitude evokes the emotion of love which, in turn, is the highest vibration energy available to us. When we feel we are feeling love, we are vibrating high and that’s what we want in life.

This high vibration improves how we see and experience our worlds which further increases our options in life.

Still today, each morning and night I think of three things I’m grateful of. It can be something very simple, and it really focuses me to see what is already there. We live in such abundance. We have everything we need already.

And when I feel love, I cannot feel anger, anxiety or fear. When I start operating from a place of love, I am set up to succeed.

3.    Being brave and look deep into myself

I was so busy in my life. But then, I told myself to pause.

Stop and listen. Every morning, every evening, every hour, in every stressful situation, at the bus stop. All the time.

I wanted to connect consciously with my truest self, the original essence of what I’m made of. I wanted to hear what’s coming up without judging it. It’s neither good nor bad, it just is.

I wanted to know me. We are so much more than our minds or bodies. The soul is ever-expanding.

And yes, it takes some time.

But the funny thing is, when it comes to purpose, we already have the answer. We just need to pay attention and listen very deeply. It all is already within us. Moving our gaze from outwards to inwards can make our worlds look drastically different. At least mine did!

I said to Ryan he’s not alone on this journey. It’s hard to describe how fulfilled I have felt after deciding to follow my own calling and today, I am lucky to be guiding and serving many other Purpose-seekers (as I lovingly call them) on this very same journey. I’m sending love to you who tirelessly keep looking for your unique gift and why you are here!

After all, if we want to experience the ultimate fulfilment in our lives it requires courageous decisions to take back what belongs to us. The control of our lives.

And when it comes to Ryan, I can see he’s already one step closer.

Welcome on the adventure – if you dare

x Anna