Live Your Purpose, Follow Your Heart

"Follow your heart, let your love lead through the darkness...Follow your dreams, be yourself an angel of kindness, there's nothing that you cannot do, I believe, I believe in you" - Il Divo & Celine Dion

I am living my purpose, I am doing what I was born to do.  It feels incredible.  I wish that everyone could know the peace that comes with knowing you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

I'm Hearing Voices

In her book 'Peace From Broken Pieces' Iyanla Vanzant recounts how she pulled herself out of welfare and worked her way through college (with three young children in tow), then went on to finish law school.  Her amazing story turns to unbelievable when she recounts how she abruptly one day walked away from her budding career as a lawyer because a voice to her to!

Iyanla is very open about her spiritual connection and her ability to clearly hear voices telling where she should or should not be.  It takes a whole lot of guts to walk away from something you've worked so hard for and head into the unknown based on these voices, or a whole lot of crazy.

I admire Iyanla immensely for her courage and the good sense she had to know that her intuition, her 'God voice" would never fail her.  Given what she has achieved so far in life I'd say she made the right decision.  Perhaps you're not as attuned as Iyanla and cannot discern your 'God voice' as clearly as she can.  I can't.  This is the rule that I use in my own life...

If the voices in your head tell you to harm yourself or others seek psychiatric help.  If the voices tell you to do good in any way, shape or form, shut up and start walking.

My Purpose Just Smacked Me In The Face

Many of the people who have done the most good in this world have experienced immense suffering in their own lives.  The paths suffering are varied but the results seem to narrow to a few shared qualities.. compassion, empathy, commitment, desire to prevent or ease the suffering of others.

Recognizing the lesson above has been tremendously healing to me.  Like many I spent a lot of time feeling sorry for myself and asking 'why me?'.  Then I learned that every experience in your life prepares you for your purpose.

How incredible that realization is.  You don't have to fear anything that lies ahead, because everything that lies before you is meant to take you to where you need to be.  

So instead of fearing your circumstance, instead of feeling angry, resentful or frustrated choose instead to look for the lessons in the situation.  When you have learned your lessons, your situation will change.  Many people find their purpose by walking through their deepest pain.  As they walk, they are surprised to find that a whole new road has unfolded before them.

I'm Still Searching For My Purpose, How Do I Find It?

Perhaps you don't find your purpose, perhaps you just allow it to find you.  In my book 'Embracing Prosperity By Changing Your Mind' I walk through exercises to help you identify your purpose.  In short, your deepest desires, your gifts and talents and your natural personality traits are all pointers on the road to finding your purpose.  If you look closely at these things, you just might find it. 

Many people who try to answer the question of how to find your purpose come back to this simple recommendation.  Listen.  Your heart already knows.

Maybe I Don't Have A Purpose?

In the past year I have gone around asking people 'what is your purpose in life?'.  I was very surprised that most people said they did not have one.

I struggled for quite a while to comprehend that one because the pull of my purpose has always been powerful in my life.  I have always known there is more to life than making money, buying a house, getting married, raising the kids, getting and education or a career etc.   So what if you do not have this inner conviction?

I believe that everyone has a purpose and each of our lives are preparation for our purpose.  Sometimes finding your purpose is simply about looking at your urges and desires, those thing that you keep coming back to over and over in your life.    Look at the longings that you do not fulfill but don't seem to go away, look closely, your purpose may just be calling.

Found It!  Now What Do I Do With It?

This is the easiest question I have ever answered.  If you think you know what your purpose is, go do it!

Easy To Say, Not So Easy To Do

 "Teresa pursued every avenue to follow what she "never doubted" was the direction God was pointing her. She was "to give up even Loreto where I was very happy and to go out in the streets. I heard the call to give up all and follow Christ into the slums to serve him among the poorest of the poor." - americancatholic.org

OK, I concede living your purpose is not always easy, in fact it might be a daunting prospect.  I can hear the chorus already ' but I have a wife and children to take care of', 'but I'm looking after my mom who has alzheimer's', 'but I don't have any money', 'I’m not educated enough', 'I'm not smart enough', 'I'm too old', 'I'm too shy', 'I'm too sick', 'I'm too fat', 'I'm too stupid', 'I'm too insignificant' ... sigh.  Just thinking of the litany gives me a headache.

Enough already!  Write down your list of 'buts' just to get it out of your system.  Then burn it. 

Living your purpose is not about you.  It's not about your limited resources and understanding and strength.  Your purpose is part of a divinely orchestrated cosmic plan for this earth.  When you align yourself with your purpose then life shifts around you, doors open, the right people come into your life, the resources you need come to you, whatever it is that is required will be provided.  Your job is simply to surrender and let the flow carry you.

Follow Your Heart

“The two most important days in life are the day you were born and the day you discover the reason why.” – Mark Twain

Follow your heart.  Step boldly forward onto the path that is right for you. Accept everything as it comes, hold on to your vision, commit, believe and enjoy the ride.

Inspiration Link 

* I am in no way affiliated with the sites that I link to here.  The messages presented are in alignment with the thoughts presented in this post and they have inspired me, I hope that they will inspire you too.

Mother Teresa to me is the epitome of a person who lived a purpose driven life.  In this concise biography the author says ...

"Until her death in 1997, Mother Teresa continued her work among the poorest of the poor, depending on God for all of her needs. Honors too numerous to mention had come her way throughout the years, as the world stood astounded by her care for those usually deemed of little value. In her own eyes she was "God's pencil—a tiny bit of pencil with which he writes what he likes."  Mother Teresa Biography - AmericanCatholic.org

May you also be inspired to be God's little pencil, so that he may write his will in this world, through you.

Author’s note

This post is inspired by Chapter Two of my book Embracing Prosperity By Changing Your Mind – Know Your Purpose.  I hope to persuade you that there is a purpose to your life and when you begin to embrace it life opens up for you and you achieve a level of fulfillment you will never experience otherwise.

In the book I walk you through specific activities around identifying and aligning with your purpose, and I also offer encouragement for sticking with it when the going gets rough.

It would be my pleasure to share a free gift with you, if you would like to receive an excerpt from my book just click here  and with subject "I want a free gift", be sure to include today's  topic.

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I would also be delighted to hear your feedback so do not hesitate to leave a comment if you so desire and be sure to come back for more as I walk you through some of the lessons and exercises from my book.

I bless you, I bless your journey and I am so happy to be a part of it.  May this be the year that you begin to claim the best that life has to offer.