Live with Authenticity, Purpose, and Passion

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” – Pablo Picasso

A few days after working with an energy worker, I had a revelation: I understood that as a young child, I was captivated by people. I observed and empathized with them. It was natural for me to help them in whatever way I could. I can remember giving my little four year old hand to an older blind girl to help her down the steps. I even closed my eyes and walked around to feel what it was like to be blind.

I believe that at the cellular memory level of the body we not only hold repressed emotions and trauma, we also hold the innate gifts, talents and desires of the authentic inner child—knows who we are and why we are here. Before this core essence got diminished through parenting practices and cultural norms, we were in touch with what preferences and activities made us feel ALIVE—our life purpose. Some of us got disconnected from the joy of our purpose but lived it anyway, and others had to squelch it in order to survive.

During my revelation, I realized that my inner child loves reaching out to others to understand and inspire them—to make a difference in their lives. It was quite a shock to realize that in my profession as a helper and writer, I give this curious, open hearted little girl the opportunity to do her thing. Now, I must recognize and reconnect with the joy of living it. On paper what I experienced sounds like nothing; at the time I had this epiphany it was earth shattering.

If you are fulfilling your purpose but are not feeling the joy in it or if you are not sure what your purpose is, many resources are available to help you to live your core truth, for example, the Internet, books, workshops, coaching, etc. At any age, you can design a lifestyle that is filled with purpose and passion.

Life Purpose – What is it?

• Your life purpose is a statement of truth about who you are and why you are here. It aligns you with your authentic self.
• Your purpose fills you with passion when you do it.
• Your purpose is your beingness: You lived it in the past, live it in the present, and will live it in the future.
• Your mission is your doingness. Your mission represents the way in which you express your purpose.
• Your purpose does not change; it is your essence. Your mission changes over time; it is based on the phases of your life and your personal resources.

Questions that lead to discovering your purpose:

• What am I doing when I feel the most alive?
• What gives meaning to my life?
• What have others said they value about me?
• What are my natural gifts and talents?
• When do I feel the best about myself?
• What would I make better in the world if I could?

Once you think you have identified your life purpose, look back to your childhood to see how you were expressing it then. You may recognize that you have been living your purpose since you were a young child. However, once you consciously connect with your purpose and take action to honor it, you will feel passionate about life at any age, and your relevance will never diminish.

Your Life Purpose serves you in many ways. It gives meaning to your work and your life. It guides your choices and shapes the direction of your life. With your purpose firmly in mind, you can make moment-to-moment choices with real integrity. When you are "on purpose," you feel fulfilled and make a difference to yourself and/or others.