What is your life’s purpose? This question often shows up when we feel lost and unable to move towards any goals or focus. We’re often lost about how to answer this or maybe, even how to feel about it. By the time I was in 5th grade, teachers have already imposed lessons, activities and lectures about having to figure out what to do with ourselves long before we even fly from the coop. The word “purpose” confuses many because it insinuates that we already have a point to our life; yet isn’t that the most ironic discovery when exploring this question?

I recall my 5th grade assignment about life planning – basically a simplified vision board activity. It was meant to help us plan our future. And once I got to 30 years old – I was like, “What next – die?” LOL. (I knew nothing about retirement or anything. I just knew old people existed and they did nothing but housework everyday. LOLOLOL!) And I panicked! My internal panic was something like, “I don’t just want to go to school and then die!” — I know, that went from zero to one hundred, really quick. But it’s true! That was my thought process. I couldn’t quite wrap my little mind about the concept of life or old age, let alone the idea of “purpose”.

As I entered my adolescent years, self discovery was no joke. No one helps you figure any of this out. Even with as many adults around you in school and home who knew what it was like to juggle through these really funky life moments, they honestly didn’t have the time to open these topics up. (Side note: there may be some educational restrictions/liabilities/legalities to this in hindsight at school, but still, these were important conversations that get filed under “taboo” in general.) Additionally, family life was chaotic and role models were so few to follow. Being that I didn’t have a role model/mentor, I was susceptible to whatever crossed my path. My head was filled by whatever information was around me and I made sense of what I could. I guess this was the preliminary phase to “adulting”. #FigureItOut.

I was changing in so many ways. I found myself having to do a whole new remodel of me in full-blown adulthood. It took: 1) getting off social media, 2) paying attention to my physical calibration to my soul through reading the Bible, 3) getting rid of literal people and things that created unbalance to my sense of being, 4) getting back in touch with re-visualizing where my “end goal” was, 5) finding proper self-help and resources to coach myself, and 6) creating my personal boundaries to preserve my inner peace, 7) making peace with things that were out of my control and let that go, and most importantly, 8) DOING THE WORK.

I found that my inner work catapulted me into a new level of thinking, self-discovery and purpose. I seek the truth and I operate from that. I have often found myself wanting to inspire others with the truths. And that to me, also forces me to operate outside of my fear of judgement from others – no matter in what phase of life someone has met me. I aim to leave things better than I found it as best as I can. All in all, I just want to be someone I didn’t have when I was younger and pass on golden nuggets I have found along the way.

Finding your why by a certain age is ludacris. But the important part is at least putting your best foot forward to finding your “why”. Do you even have a “why”? What is it that you talk about that riles up your passion and reverence? Have you dug deep enough to have an “A-HA!” moment about why that “talk” makes you react in a certain way? Do you end up motivating yourself to take action on something especially when there is zero support? Why do you do what you do? Although you may not have immediate answers, inspire yourself, about yourself. You are in the driver seat and knowing your purpose provisionally sets you up for the best adventure yet.

Trust yourself. That is worth its weight in gold.

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