Aligning with your Purpose in Life
I am optimistic that humans are able to make the positive difference in pressing issues like creating a more sustainable environment, improving health and nutrition, fostering economic freedom and growth, moving towards liberty and justice, and increasing the peace. I find that the most effective individuals are the ones who have done the difficult work of internal values-sorting, who have defined their mission and vision, and who now work diligently to achieve their overall stated goal.
I also believe the current state of the world’s problems, and the solutions that present themselves, rely on each of us doing the following: sharing our truth, collaborating, and innovating. If you check people who do these things now, and you check in on them twenty years from now, they will be living a singular purpose filled with passion, intensity, and results, and they will continue to leave a legacy of positive social change.
IF offering your skills and talents to create a better world, WHILE staying rooted in these three aspects of truth, collaboration, and innovation, DO the internal shift to bring your true, authentic, full self to your daily routine. THEN the ultimate gift will become apparent: a fulfilling life will be yours, because you are able to align your unique skills with the unique challenges that the universe demands of you at this unique moment in time.
What is your purpose? Uncover it, hone it, and continue to use that purpose to make your decisions. You will get closer and closer to living in harmony with your purpose, and your life will become a more tightly connected feedback loop as you live the change you wish to see.
About Sharing our Truth:
So many of us believe we stand alone or apart in our experiences. My thought is that if we begin sharing with one another more parts of our lives, we will gain a better understanding of one another. The truth is that all of us suffer. Pain, death, disease, divorce, guilt, shame, anxiety, anger, depression, suicidal thoughts, and self-loathing are all so isolating and put us down into a pit of darkness. We are often afraid to reach out. However, I have seen that when we take the chance to reach out and share our stories with one another, we have more opportunity to connect with others who care for us, and we build stronger networks of friendship, community, trust, and connection. Take the chance to share your story, online or in person, with someone else.
I’ve learned that the most successful people are often the ones who have failed the most: they have failed the hardest, the fastest, and the most frequently. Consider reading about the life histories of positive role models in history, and you’ll see a common pattern of harsh circumstances that have propelled these individuals to dig deep and find a truth that gives them hope, courage, and a resolve to continue forward. The truth will out, anyway. Start by being more truthful about your own wishes, goals, dreams, and desires, even the ones that might embarrass you. As the truth reflects back to you, you’ll expend less energy feeling drained and instead will start to feel stronger, more capable, and more efficient as an agent of change.
About Collaborating:
Reach out to someone different. Expand your circle of acquaintances. Build more and better relationships through working on interesting projects together. The best teams are the ones built by individuals who trust one another, who share highs and lows, and who work together to convert a common vision into reality.
I find that a team-of-teams approach works well. When considering any project, idea, campaign, group, or activity, during your planning phase, gather around at least 2 others who want to “go for it” with you. Ideas for collaboration outside of work include: starting a book club, beginning a gardening project for the community, volunteering at a local community-based organization, coaching a youth team, learning a new hobby, preparing to travel somewhere new, or building new policies at your workplace or school. When you have other people who share your end goal, and when you have opportunities to build trust and gather a diversity of perspectives, you have a better chance of seeing your new idea through to completion.
About Innovating
As humans we are ingenious and filled with solutions. What if? If we looked at it this way, what would we see? Where do we want to be? Who will help us get there? How do we implement this?
Open ended questions in a supportive environment spark creativity. Everything we see around us, and almost everything we use and interact with, was created. By brainstorming, being open to hunches, intuition, and ideas, and by making connections between different ideas, we begin to foster a more solutions-driven mindset. As we clarify the vision of what’s needed, we will find more and better ways of doing things. Let’s give ourselves permission to dream big.
I invite you to think about where you are feeling “out-of-sorts” with your current work, occupation, or daily lifestyle. Then, consider what wholeness, clarity, and a place of strength would look like. Where do you resonate? In what field, industry, or area do you think you belong? List a few baby steps you are willing to take, use the guidelines above, and commit to incorporating these steps into your routine, one week at a time. Track progress and share with others. Follow your own light.
Bring your ideas, passion, and full power to the forefront — we need you!
Here’s the present: your life is a gift. Live the life that you were born to live.
I invite you to post your own story to Medium and contact Monica S. Flores for inclusion to this publication. Share your story of how you or someone you know is #makingapositivedifference!
