Do you know what really lights your fire? Or did the flame fizzle out so long ago you forget whatever started it?

Meet Sadie

From the outside, my client Sadie (not her real name) had a good life. She had a job with international travel. She lived in Paris, France. And she had a great group of friends. But still, something was wrong.

Not blatantly wrong… just a slow-burning feeling of discontent.

At first, she ignored it. She was living a dream life. Just ask any of her friends. But the feeling intensified and Sadie grew frustrated. She couldn’t exactly voice the problem; she just knew there was a problem.

Basically, she wasn’t happy.

She put on a good front every day, but inside, Sadie knew. Her life was not what she wanted. She wanted more. She expected more from herself. And she had more to give. But she just didn’t know where to focus her energies.

Has your fire gone out?

Have you ever felt that way? Like you have no idea what really lights your fire? Felt like there must be more to life than you currently feel? Do you feel like you’re meant to be doing something more? Something bigger? Something different?

Often we miss what’s right in front of our faces. We don’t see the signs and we don’t see the solutions. But we know something must be done.

We’re all put here for a purpose. Each of us has a larger mission to accomplish during our one precious life. Part of the challenge is to discover exactly what that purpose is. For some, the answer comes easily. For others, the discovery process is more challenging.

But our purpose is relentless. As we get older, that purpose, that calling, starts to bug us more and more. We get that sense that something is missing from our lives. We search around…and get frustrated.

And here’s the thing: your purpose doesn’t have to be some grand vision. Your purpose could be finding happiness in your daily life. For more on enjoying what you have right now, take a look at this post.

How to discover what lights YOUR fire

What lights your fire? The answer is not around. The answer is within.

Within each of us lies our mission.

Our whole life has been lived with that purpose inside and when we learn to express it, we can see the thread that has been woven into the pattern on the fabric of our lives. The sooner we acknowledge and accept our purpose, the sooner we’ll be able to live the life we are meant to live.

Look inside yourself

One key to remember is that happiness, true happiness, does not come from external things like fancy cars or houses or bank accounts.

True happiness comes from a life lived on purpose.

Once you realize your purpose and pursue it, even though it will be challenging, you’ll be filled with a sense of joy and happiness. Because you’ll know you’re on your right path.

Maybe up until now, you’ve been taking the easy path. Finding, and following your true purpose might take some work, but growth happens OUTSIDE of your comfort zone. For more on that, check this out.

Lighting the path

My client Sadie found her path.

After working together, she uncovered her desire to help teenage girls with eating disorders. She herself had had an eating disorder and she felt called to help girls who were going through what she went through. Sadie is on a new path right now. Her life will be different as she reaches out to help those who really need her.

If you are wondering about YOUR path, remember this: the answer lies in the mess of your life… the area where you had the most trouble… the time you would probably most like to forget. Judy Carter, a stand-up comedian and now trainer wrote a book on it: The Message of You.

Look to your mess to find the message of your life.

Best,
Alicia

P.S. While you’re here, please check out my new book, “Power-Up Your Productivity!” It shows you how to create an effective work environment, establish functional boundaries, and develop the right attitude to get more of the right things done in the right time frame.

Did you enjoy this article on discovering what lights your fire? Take a look at these other posts too:

Summer Relaxation: Give Your Brain an Escape
How to Easily Change Your World View
Fly the Plane Before It’s Ready

This article was originally published in 2016 and has been updated in 2020 just for you!