Search for Meaning

The search for a meaningful life purpose can be daunting and overwhelming, especially when you don’t know where to start. If you’re ready to make a change in your life but feel baffled as to how to begin, I’m here to tell you that it is possible – starting with these key five steps. As someone who’s been on this journey for years, I’m sure of one thing: nothing brings more joy into our lives than discovering and pursuing our true life purpose. Whether from personal experiences or lessons learned from the people around me, these five steps will set you up well for living an inspired life full of meaning and intention.

Life Changes In An Instant

Growing up, I never dreamt that things could change so quickly. One moment I was living with my parents, and the next, I was being ripped away from them and placed into an orphanage. It was hard for me to understand—I didn’t know why this was happening to me or what the purpose of it all was; that part was never shared with me. All I knew was that life had suddenly become a lot more difficult. For the first time ever, I started to doubt myself and question what my value in life really was. When you have been ripped away like that, you lose your sense of stability, your mom’s secure touch. You lose your world.

Those Hard Times Taught Me To Explore

Those years were some of the toughest of my life, but they also showed me how resilient I was. Despite all the hardships, loss, and disappointment I experienced at such a young age, I managed to survive and come out on top. But even more than survival—those times made me realize just how important exploration is in order to gain understanding and find purpose in our lives.

Instead of succumbing to despair or allowing feelings of worthlessness to consume me, questioning became key; through self-exploration and curiosity about the world around me, I learned that there isn’t only one way to get by—and that it’s ok. Not everything will work out perfectly all the time. My experience with trauma has been life-changing—, but despite it all, there have been moments where coming out on top has felt like one of my biggest accomplishments yet. I don’t think I would have made it if I had not understood the importance of finding a piece of hope to hold on to.

I began by holding on to hope I would not be in the orphanage for long. Then I focused on keeping my siblings safe and together. After being adopted, I held on to the realization I had the power to keep going. But the real change from surviving to living came when I found my life’s purpose. A life’s purpose takes you from self-absorption to self-actualization, an evolvement defined as the ultimate goal or reason for which we exist. I learned and grew, experience joy, contributed to society, and found happiness. Ultimately, each person should strive to discover what their purpose is and live a life that serves it.

Photo by Brooke

Discover Your Purpose

Self-discovery is one of the most important steps in living a fulfilling and meaningful life. Knowing who you are and what your purpose is can help guide you to make decisions that are beneficial for both yourself and those around you. Here are some tips for discovering the purpose of your life:

1. Explore Your Feelings and Options: Explore your emotions, thoughts, and beliefs about yourself and the world around you. This can help you gain an understanding of where your passions lie, as well as identify activities or professions that bring out the best in you. Asking yourself questions such as “What makes me happiest?” or “What do I wish to change in my life?” can be great starting points for self-reflection.

 2. Consider Your Personality Type: Your personal values, traits, interests, goals, strengths, weaknesses—all of these aspects combine to give us a unique personality type. Using tools such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) can provide insight into areas such as how you make decisions and solve problems so that you can better understand which type of career paths may be most suited for you.

3. Identify Your Passions: What do you enjoy doing? Are there any hobbies or activities that engage your creative side? Identifying what excites you can open up possibilities for potential career choices that involve pursuing something meaningful to yourself instead of simply going down a predetermined path of study or work experience.

4. Establish Your Beliefs: Knowing what kind of values drive your behavior and inform how you respond to certain situations will help in making decisions more aligned with your true identity and inner desires rather than conforming to societal standards or expectations from others.

5. Analyze Possible Professions: Once all the above factors have been considered, it’s time to look at potential job opportunities based on this newfound self-awareness. Researching different industries and careers related to your passions could give clarity on which roles are most suitable for putting into practice all that was uncovered during the first four steps while also meeting other needs, such as financial security or stability in lifestyle choices regarding travel or relocation options—whatever it is that matters most to you!

Photo by Danica

You Still Have Time To Explore

Following these five steps is a great starting point for uncovering your life purpose. Even when the process may seem uncertain and scary, remember that being intentional about creating a path aligned with your values provides the opportunity for greater satisfaction and success in your endeavors.

Even if you don’t have the perfect answer yet— there’s always time to explore more. Taking frequent pauses to ask yourself probing questions allows self-expression and clarity to take shape. Having been on my own personal journey of exploration, I understand the courage it takes to commit fully and embrace this confident mindset every day so that we can live our best lives.