Self-confidence is an essential quality that can help us feel more capable and successful in our personal and professional lives. However, many people struggle with low self-confidence, which can hold them back from achieving their goals and reaching their full...
What is your why?
Written by Pam
What is your why? Have you every wondered why you are here? Why you are, right now, doing what you do?
For many of us, myself included, our present circumstances were created by choices made in our youth.
Influenced by school, family, society. We started down a path and just kept going!
The act of living takes so much of our day that we rarely have the time to really connect with our ‘why’.
This doesn’t mean we are unhappy, or dislike our life, but how much better would it be if you were living a purposeful life.
“Regardless of WHAT we do in our lives, our WHY—our driving purpose, cause or belief—never changes.”
Simon Sinek
Is it important to connect with your why?
Everyone is an individual a unique being, and what makes one person happy is not necessarily going to make you happy.
Finding your why is really connecting to your deepest values, those things that really make you feel alive.
Those things in your life that are of the most importance which most of us will find are rarely materialistic.
Simon Sinek on the impact of your why.
HOW TO FIND YOUR WHY
Simon states in the video finding his why helped him feel calm and increased his confidence. Sounds great. But how do you discover your why?
As mentioned it is easy to get busy with life and lose sight of what is important to you. To find your why and create a sense of purpose will take some time. It’s a new way of thinking and like anything it takes time to master new skills.
Look at the people around you. Who do you gravitate toward? Who makes you happier and why? Listen to what people around you say about you. How have your actions positively impacted others?
Ask yourself questions. Why do you do the things you do? Are you really organised? Do you love helping people? Are you a great communicator? This will help you build up picture of what really makes you feel alive.
Writing in a daily journal can be really helpful. It helps to clarify thoughts and after a while common themes reveal themselves.
I found a helpful article here that has 19 journal prompting questions to help you connect with your purpose.
LIVING WITH PURPOSE
Once you have connected with what’s important to you. You start making more choices that align with your true self.
You just feel happier.
John Templeton Foundation’s study on the Psychology of Purpose found that living with purpose has psychological, physical and academic benefits.
People living with purpose are less likely to suffer depression or anxiety and according to the study “are also more likely to report high levels of life satisfaction”.
People living with purpose think about their situation differently. It doesn’t mean they have huge financial wealth or are engaged in a job that gives them purpose.
It also doesn’t have to mean changing a job or totally reorganising how you live.
The Templeton study states “Studies of purpose and meaning at work suggest that how people approach their work may be more important than the actual tasks they perform”
So it’s about how you approach what you do and where you are in life. If you look at the contribution you make to other’s regardless of the monetary or status you hold, your sense of purpose is increased.
Sometimes we do things not because we really enjoy them but because it aligns with our why and gives us a sense of purpose. For example you may not always enjoy getting up early to take your children to sports training however creating a loving and supportive family life for your children aligns with your purpose. So you’re happy to do it.
LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE
If living with purpose creates a better quality of life, including better mental and physical health. It may be the best thing you can ever do for yourself.
And not only will it make you feel better it will also positively affect those around you. Imagine waking up every day knowing you are living your purpose, imagine how much joy you will create in the world.
If we all positively impacted one person everyday imagine the ripple effect.
Finding your why and living with purpose is going to take something to create. It’s going to mean really looking deep inside yourself to truly find your purpose. But it will also result in a deep sense of happiness and belonging. And who wouldn’t want that?
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive, then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Howard Thurmon
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