5 Tips to Your Life Purpose

By Sabrina Roblin

Purpose lives in our hearts and is the guiding reason for which we exist.  It gives our lives vitality and direction and is essential to our well-being, especially in the second half of life when meaning becomes more important than achievement and ambition.  Without a purpose life can feel empty and it can be hard to find a reason to get out of bed in the morning.  Our health and well being suffers as a result.  This is why purpose is one of the three foundational pieces to the Life Reinspired work we do with our clients.

Purpose is not something you think your way to with your head.  It’s a direction you find by following your heart – by taking actions that are fulfilling, meaningful and bring you joy.  For some, identifying a life purpose can feel hard and unattainable, like excavating an archaeological dig.  It can be a lot simpler than we sometimes make it, if we focus on our hearts rather than our heads.  It is threaded through our lives if we take the time to look.

Jack Canfield, an inspirational author and speaker, has some helpful tips to uncovering and connecting to your purpose.  Set aside some uninterrupted time for reflection and journaling with the following:

1. Explore the things you love to do and what comes easily to you.
2. Ask yourself what qualities you enjoy expressing the most in the world.
3. Follow your inner guidance (what is your heart telling you?)
4. Ask yourself the question, “My life is ideal when…..”
5. Explore the times you have experienced the greatest joy in your life, then look for the pattern among all these things.

Your purpose can be expressed in simple terms like, lighting the way, inspiring joy, inspiring transformation, or creating connection.  Once you have some insights about your purpose from the exercise above, take action on what you’ve discovered.  Then follow the joy and meaning you find.  For example, if you’re happiest when you are entertaining friends, plan a party.  If you love to invent, get busy in your workshop.  If you try something that doesn’t light up your heart, let it go and try something else that does.  If what you do gives you energy, joy and fulfillment you are on purpose.  If what you do is draining you, you are off purpose.  Let your heart be your guide, and create the purposeful life you were meant to live.

Get support in this process with Life Reinspired programs and workshops.

Sabrina Roblin is Co-Founder of Life Reinspired, a reset lab for successful Baby Boomers contemplating a meaningful next chapter in life. Sabrina is an experienced executive, mentor, trainer, and coach. She has worked for organizations that include Wells Fargo Bank, Broderbund Software, and The Coaches Training Institute.