How to Discover Your Life's Mission (from the Oprah Winfrey Show)

Article Title: How to Discover Your Life's Mission n(from the Oprah Winfrey Show)
Submitted by: Craig LocknCategory (key words): Life purpose, life mission, Oprah Winfrey, spiritual, spiritual gifts, inspiratio

Other Articles by Craig Lock are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles.htmln(Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, words of inspiration and money management)

Publishing Guidelines: This piece (as with all my articles) may be freely published, electronically or in print. . n n "We share what we know, so that we all may grow." n *
DISCOVERING YOUR LIFE'S MISSION (FROM THE OPRAH
WINFREY SHOW)

Submittters's Note:

This article (in point form) was based upon notes I've taken from Oprah Winfrey's most uplifting TV program from some years back. I hope that it may be encouraging, uplifting and perhaps even inspirational to you in following the unique path you were "destined" to travel. Enjoy...n *
How can you find true happiness? Ask yourself: wherever you are in your life, how would you like to be remembered? Are you truly happy? Has your life turned out the way you wanted? If it all ended today, did you live the life you really wanted?
Do you drag yourself to a job you can't stand. To see how far you have come in your life. Chart your way to success. Be there for those in need. Think good, positive thoughts.
What do you really want to do with the rest of your life? Write your obituary. Are you on target with why you came onto your life? What do you want written on your obituary? Discover your life's mission. We all waste precious "planet time". If you died today, what was your purpose in coming onto this earth?
I'm happy; but I want to do more. Love, kindness to family/friends, helping others, being there for those in need, having positive thoughts, a good spirit. Start small and try to be a good person. You can later make big changes in your life. Do you want to do more? Don't we all. The key to misery is in trying too hard to please others - think of yourself first. Don't get in touch what what you're thinking and feeling. To be a better person - start small. Crazy life! Purpose is not the goal - it's the pattern all along - there's a pattern in all of our lives. Look beneath the purpose. What does love mean, if you don't begin with yourself?

An author on the show wrote a book: What are you doing with the rest of your life? We are all half asleep - think life's OK. Look at our whole lifespan. We grow and develop throughout most of our lifespan and the biggest growth usually occurs particularly in the middle years. Don't think of dying. Death is euphemistically called "passing to the other side". Earth was a "gas" (fun). We come from a mystery and go to mystery... and don't know either end. Recognise what we really want to do in our lives. Look ahead 20, 30, 40 years. Check and know our TRUTH. We are finite - truth is all important. Take life seriously. Everone's life has its own patterns, plateaus, pitfalls and rythm (adulthood unfolds over time).
Strive for inner peace...and this is not a matter of "missing the boat".

In the nineteen-fiftys the sociologist Eric Ericson (nice sounding name - alliteration said there are three stages in life: n* earlyn* middle nand n* late

As adults we grow and change over our whole lifespan.

1. Early: We have a choice between intimacy and isolation (sounds just like an "analytical//intellectual" sociologist!). We are forced to learn to focus in and be loyal to one person...and ourselves.

2. The middle stage: Here we have a choice between contribution and self absorbtion. 'It happens when it happens.' Reflect on life what changes. A common example: We derive little or no satisfaction after doing the same job for 15-20 years. This applies especially to us men. That's when we buy a Ferrari for status and ego (and act young, of course!). It's otherwise called the 'middle age transition'. We tend to relect on our lives and ask ourselves: Where have I been and where do I want to go? Women have this feeling too - when the children are growing up, but (like us men "stuck in our careers", they have to stay with their job - and can't get a Ferrari! 'What am I going to do now?', we ask ourselves.

There is a choice between integrity and despair. We might feel good, even though we may have made many mistakes in the course of our lives. Especially me! We can't change life and what's past. What can I do? As long as you feel vital and alive - the vitaliy of mid-life. You could be a late bloomer, like me. (You could even have hit "the big five-o". Act on your own feelings and intuition. Come out of the closet (yes, even you 'queers') and follow your heart. Who am I really? You can still do it...even at age 65!n *
How do you put your life in order, if you had only one month to live? How would you live your life? With all the bills and worries. Instead of wasting life and walking blindly through life. What else could I have done? Wishing. How to start moving in the right direction. Recognise there's a pattern to each of our lives and what part you're in? There is always more. A lady on the show was diagnosed with terminal illness. She asked herself: 'What could I impart to my son in the time I have left?' Focus on the important things in life, instead of the trivial. Doing this makes you think differently about life. Eg. going to the movies, or going out to dinner. Like the lady, cherish the meaningful time on earth.n *

"The souls choice" - in search of our inner calling.

Each of us comes into life with a calling. The jou
ey of life is to discover that calling. At some time certain incidents lead to this calling. Ella Fitzgerald was a dancer and changed to start singing. Something happened to change her thinking. What's your life script?

Our children have their OWN destiny. We all have a guardian angel - our higher self.
The jou
ey to your unique destiny develops character. It will come out, no matter what you do - it is predetermined???, sooner or later. Understand your destiny. What am I really meant to do with my life?

The soul's choice: Each person enters the world called - to do something with their life. It is not necessarily to be famous, like a rock star. Your child could be good at numbers and become an accountant. It may be just being a friend, or of service to society.

Children should find a place for their specific calling. Many people associate fame with achieving their purpose in life. I believe there is no higher calling than being a good parent.n *
See life for what it really is; then celebrate it. Dying teaches us that we are finite beings.
The STEPS we should be taking: Take four sheets of paper and answer these questions:nn* What do I want to DO?nn* What do I want to BE? A PhD with 10 million dollars in the bank, perhaps?nn* What do want to HAVE?nnand most importantly,nn* What do I want to GIVE? nin my years left on this planet?

Look at the stepping stones, the patterns of your life...from birth onwards, as they've shaped us to what we are now.
New birth in middle years.
Normally these patterns are in all of our lives. Ask yourself:
Why am I in this present situation? Who knows. God alone! Are you perhaps acting out a part; because of what others want/expect from you. Are you being judged by others??
A study showed that 90 of Americans believed that they would be happier with earning 10-20 more money.n(However; nobody could paint a dream).

Meditate frequently. What do I want to give to the world today? Thoughts. How do I want to be? Decide what kind of day you'll have. We all have a choice. Do what you always do and you'll get what you'll always got. If you are stuck in a rut, it's time to change. TIME TO CHANGE. Don't set yourself up for failure. Love yourself for your uniqueness.
The patterns of being afraid. Like trying to please people all of the time - being a 'people pleaser'. Throw out your self desires. What do you do to break it? Honour it. Fear is the "beacon to your truth". Get in touch with the deepest lining of your heart, whether it is health, God or your personal goals. Ask yourself: "What am I afraid of?". List your fears.
Then "knock them off" one by one. Realise by doing that they have no power - once you confront them, you'll soon realise they have no fear. It's often hard to accept joy, fear, rejection, people talking behind your back, others thinking you're not a nice person. It hurts deeply; because you're not in touch with your own feelings. If you are stuck in a rut and think your life is going nowhere...
Imagine you are 100 years old!

Women, the men in your life could be holding you back. You can devote your life to your profession.

The secrets to a healthy fulfilling life: Parents want only good, and usually the best for their children. Money is not ALL-important, but integrity is. Just do the best youncan; then hope and pray that other people will do the best they can.
Don't think, "All 'I' and 'me'". The Almighty has the final say in how it (your life) all pans out. TRUST the Universe.
The housewife who won $6 million in a lottery. Did it make her happier?

Many people wanted to borrow money from her. Her marriage was wrecked. Now she wants to do something good and worthwhile with the money she won. She invested in a home for herself and her family. Money by itself doesn't mean anything; so turn the energy produced by money into doing good in the world. Money is handy in that it pays the bills. However, money doesn't change our spirit - it doesn't make you a better person. Money can help alleviate (nice word) soul-destroying poverty, as well as producing soul-destroying wealth. Be rich intellectually, as well as spiritually (most important). Surveys have foundnthat 80 of people are unhappy in their jobs. Begin to give a little more to your job in terms of energy. Make small changes in your life at first.

Let the beauty of love be what you do ("do little things with great love"). Let life enrich you.

A few final words to summarise all that's been written...
Aim for clarity in your thinking.
What do you want to BE/HAVE/GIVE in the years ahead?

Give a little more in your job. Take small steps to make your dream come true. How specific should it be? The people who had the greatest fulfillment believed in a Power Greater than themselves. Successful aging is a deeper truth. These people found meaning in that everything, every experience in life was valuable. Get your dream, really take hold of it.
Cherish it and make it happen.

Be happy

Craig Lock

"The task ahead of you can always be overcome by the power withinnyou...and the often seemingly difficult or even "impassible") pathnahead of you is never as steep with the great spirit that liesnwithin you."

"We have it within; but we get it all from without. There is a well-spring of strength, wisdom, courage and great imaginationnwithin each one of us; but once we draw on this truth, it gets watered from without, by a Higher Source - the Source of Life and Love, which is God, the very Ground of our Being."

About the author:
Craig's mission is to encourage people to believe in themselves andnhelp inspire people around the world to achieve their goals and dreams in life, whatever they may be.nhttp://www.craiglockbooks.com

"Our talents are our gift to God...nbut what we do with our talents are our gifts TO God."

"Lord,
Grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference."

"Together, one mind, one soul at a time, let's encourage, impact, uplift and perhaps even inspire the world."

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