Do you ever get sick and tired of hearing about “finding your purpose”?
Like your purpose is somehow LOST and your job, should you choose to accept it, is to go out there, find it and bring it home.
Geez…. I got some news for you: YOUR PURPOSE ISN’T LOST. IT NEVER HAS BEEN.
Look at this a different way:
Instead of spending all your time looking for what you enjoy doing, what you are meant to do, what you’ve been put on this earth to do, why not take a different approach.
You see the problem with looking for your “purpose” is that, no matter what you’re doing, you will always think that something better lurks around the corner.
Option A here might be good, but maybe option B is going to be 10X better, so you need to keep looking until you find the perfect thing.
And how will you know when you’ve hit upon the perfect thing? A light will come on over your head? A chorus of angels in the sky will sing? With a background of harp music? Peace will finally be achieved in the world? What? What is the SIGN that you have FINALLY hit upon the exact right thing?
You get my point, right?
You will always be looking for something better.
Something a little bit different.
What if you change your focus?
What if, instead of looking for the perfect right thing, you start to enjoy what you’re doing right now?
Reframe what you’re doing to make it the right thing for you.
I know I’ve already mentioned the movie, Gran Torino, with Clint Eastwood. Well, it was a masterpiece. And I don’t care about cars.
But in Gran Torino, Walt Kowalski starts out as a racist vet from the Korean war. He’s haunted by memories and prejudices. Slowly, after dealing with his Hmong neighbors in Detroit, Kowalski begins to melt and feel closer to them. In the end, he gives up everything for them to survive, coming to peace with his decision.
Kowalski stopped trying to fight his neighbors. He accepted them as they were and started to enjoy them for what they had to offer.
He accepted what was and stopped trying to change the situation—to create a better connection with his sons or fight the way the neighborhood had changed.
How does this impact you in your life?
Are you fighting what is to make it into something different? Or are you enjoying what is?
Because the truth is—you already have everything you need for a happy life.
The trick is to find your happiness in your daily routine.
Instead of trying to change your situation, which can be challenging, change your view of the situation, which is easier.
Value what you HAVE.
The secret to a happy life is to find the joy in little things each day.
- Tea the perfect temperature to drink that is still hot but doesn’t burn.
- The refreshing shower.
- The perfect shade of lipstick.
- The client who loves your work.
- The book with the happy ending.
- The dog who doesn’t bark unnecessarily.
- The kids who clean up without being asked.
- The husband who looks up and winks knowingly.
It’s the small things that add up to a happy life.
Take the time to notice and enjoy them.
Don’t let them pass without recognition.
This time we have right now is crazy.
Unbelievable.
Unprecedented.
Now more than ever it’s important to take the time to smell the flowers.
To breathe.
To notice the stars.
To hug your kids and pet the dogs.
Share your love with those around you.
Have a great week!
Alicia
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