Living in alignment with your purposeful flow feels fabulous – it’s a place of deep authenticity, passion, power and meaning. When you’re living your higher purpose, what you’re doing and allowing yourself to be is much more fulfilling than anything else, and you’re better at it than anything else. It’s easier to succeed because, well, you’re doing and being what comes naturally to you!
You’re probably familiar with the opposite, what it feels like to be off purpose. It’s like standing in a river, resisting the strong pull downstream and trying to move in a different direction. It’s frustrating and takes consistent effort to forge a path in that off-purpose direction, particularly when you don’t know what the most purposeful direction might be.
There are two ways to uncover who you are meant to be and what you are meant to do. The first method can be done in one sitting, and the second method is a deeper dive.
The simple quick way to uncover your higher purpose is to reflect on your past life. When in your life were you in joy, flow, passion, deep meaning, alignment and/or in ease and flow? Capture what you were doing in those times because if you felt on purpose, you most likely were on purpose!
Imagining an ideal future is another way to gain valuable information. What would you do if you were totally funded and knew you couldn’t fail? When you reach a ripe old age, what would you like to look back on in satisfaction for a long fulfilling life? Add these clues to the ones you found above.
Then, look over all the clues about your purpose that you’ve gathered. What recurring themes do you notice? Which ones have the most impact on you as you read them? That’s the gold you are looking for!
The second method uses a meditative process that delves into the subconscious to uncover the part of you that already knows your higher purpose. It yields four components of purpose that can be translated into marketing language if you own a business.
For more information about the second method, see Tim Kelley’s book True Purpose.
Now that you have a sense of your higher purpose, it’s time to take stock of how aligned you are with it! To get your purpose alignment score, you are welcome to take the purpose alignment quiz.
If you don’t get a perfect score, reflect on what it would take to bring you home to the truth of who you are. Journaling is a great way to have a chat with those parts of you that feel stuck in the mud under the surface rather than being open to flowing downstream. Find out what they need, and see if you can negotiate agreements with these parts of you to make it safe for them to relax into your natural flow.
For example, your conversation might go something like this:
Self: I’d like to talk to a part of me that doesn’t feel safe opening to the flow of our purpose.
Part: Yeah, okay, what do you want?
Self: I want to find out what doesn’t feel safe, and what you might need for us to open to the flow of our purpose.
Part: I don’t like the way you keep wanting to change things. I want things to just hold still, so I can relax into something safe and familiar in our life.
Self: I appreciate that, Part. When did you first show up in my life and what has your role been?
Part: I came in when we were 2 years old. Things felt so unpredictable with our mom that I tried to do what I could to make things solid and predictable.
Self: Yes, that does sound challenging. I’m wondering, do you like nature, the trees and flowers and birds and everything?
Part: Yes! I love the trees and flowers and birds and everything.
Self: Do you see them changing?
Part: Yes! And I love how the flowers bloom and the trees sway in the wind and the birds fly around.
Self: Would it be okay if we changed kind of like how the things in nature change? Even mountains wear down and rebuild themselves, just at a slower pace. I can’t think of anything that doesn’t change. What if we agree to change a bit slower, ease the pacing to be one step at a time? Would that make you feel safe?
Part: Yes! And if you promise to check in with me about how I’m doing with the pacing, I’ll have what I need.
Self: Fabulous, I promise to do that and we have an agreement!
You are complete with this exercise when each of the parts that are protesting and staying stuck in the mud, are open to the flow of your purpose. Enjoy the exercise, and let me know if you have any questions!