Let’s talk about purpose.

I know, I know — that word can bring up some real existential dread for some of us. But what I'm hoping to do is unpack all the heaviness around uncovering what our purpose is.

We often here that we need to go out there and “find” our purpose. We often think that our purpose is found in our careers, in our relationships, in the roles we play in our lives. But love, your purpose has never existed outside of yourself. You are already living it each and every day.

You may not believe me now, but by the end of this, you will.

Find Your Purpose: A lie we’ve been told

The beginning of the year is typically a time in which we talk about goals and goal setting, which I love, but that's not how the Wholehearted Community is stepping into the new year.

This year is bigger than our goals.
This year is about our deepest dreams and desires, which are rooted in our purpose.

I have a feeling that if you are here right now, you are ready for a change. Maybe you're not ready to take that leap this year, maybe you're just thinking about it. You're thinking about taking some sort of courageous action, a big change in your personal or professional life.

Maybe you're ready to make a real impact and be of service in a way that feels deeply rooted in your values, in your beliefs.

Whatever it is, I deeply believe that if we know our purpose, then making those difficult and challenging changes becomes so much easier.

This is what I experienced in my own life when I made my big career change, and it's also what I have seen and witnessed in my clients' lives.

When you know what your purpose is, then taking those courageous leaps is easier.

It makes sense. It just becomes the thing that you are meant to do.

So purpose is a huge part in this equation of figuring out what we want to do with our lives and what we want to do in the world. And the way we have been taught to think about our purpose is completely wrong.

The way we’ve been taught to think of purpose completely limits us and keeps us trapped in lives we don't want to be in.

Maybe you think your purpose lies in your job, your family, your friends, or your community. But when we place our purpose is things that are outside of ourselves, we build our purpose on shaky ground.

What happens when we change jobs? What happens when our kids grow up? What happens if our friends move away?

Your purpose is never outside of you

What I have found in my own life and in working with my clients is that purpose is within you, it always has been.

Before I became a life coach, I was an international opera singer. Ever since I was 5 years old, I knew that THIS was my purpose. I thought I was one of the lucky ones! I already knew my purpose, so I was set. So all through high schol and college, those years when most people are trying to figure it all out, I already knew that singing was my thing.

Singing is what brought meaning to my life.

Then, one day, after all of my successes and accomplishments, I realized… I didn’t want to do this anymore.

I was no longer happy in this singing career, the things I’d worked on my entire life. So, if I was no longer a singer then what really was my purpose?

In this moment, I knew I had to switch careers and it felt like the most difficult thing to do because deep down, I believed that my purpose was to sing. My job was my purpose. And without it… what was I meant to do?

On top of this existential crisis, I wanted to — of all things — become a life coach. Something that seemed to have nothing to do with my lifelong career.

I was also so hard on myself for not sticking to one career path, for jumping from one thing to the next like a stereotypical millennial.

What helped me was learning how to Name and Claim My Purpose

I realized that singing and coaching weren’t as disconnected as I thought! These were both expressions of my purpose and once I was able to figure that out, I was able to take up space however felt best for me.

To start, you need to get clear on what makes you come alive. What makes you feel excited and inspired in your life?

Think about all of the things. Maybe you find them at work, at home, with your friends, at the grocery store, in your Netflix queue, or on your bookshelf.

Your purpose is found all around you, so don’t shy away from thinking small. We’ve been led to believe that purpose has to be grand and big, but it’s the little things that really make it all up.

Your purpose is revealed to you each and every day, love, in the smallest of moments.

It’s in those heartfelt conversations. Those rabbit holes you can spend hours exploring.

It’s in those little things you notice when you go on a walk.

So, really start to pay attention and taking note of those things, big and small, that light you up.

To help you out, I want to share a worksheet from my course, Inner Compass, where I dive deeper into this topic.

Tune into this week’s podcast episode — 179 | What is your Purpose? — to hear the full episode.

Did you know that each podcast episode comes with free guided journal prompts?

If you want to be in the know and get each Mindset Monday straight to your inbox complete with journal prompts to take you even further, get on my email list.

About your host, Shirin Eskandani