61 Years on the Merry-Go-Round...

by Lois

Thank you for your insights on finding one's life purpose. Sometimes I think that the purpose of my life is to find my purpose.

Frustratingly, the times I've fully invested myself in what felt like a "calling," things ended in diaster.

After retiring early with a disability retirement, I tried going back to school and earned a 2 year degree ... then did a one year internship. Both were outstanding successes ... but led nowhere.

It seems as if the pattern in my life is to climb up a tree ... get some distance up toward the top, then crash to the ground (worst case scenerio) or slide down (if I'm lucky).

I have more education than 2 dozen typical Americans combined ... I have talents and skills ... but am so frustrated because what I lack is direction.

The latest thing I tried was to become the volunteer president of a local non-profit. It was a challenge that I wanted to take on and I thought that it might lead to a job eventually. Nothing yet.

There have been a number of serendipidous events, though ... linkages of related people/organizations that relate to the purpose of this nonprofit. Also, we're having a lot of success and I feel very good about the progress we've made since I took on this role. I would happily continue along this line of work and expand on it. My heart is in it and ideas flow with no problem.

However, I'd really like to live somewhere that I like and right now, I don't feel I can afford to. Either that or I'm scared that if I move

I'll feel too much pressure to earn more money and get overwhelmed, feeling that I'll need to get back into working at a job I hate just to get by financially. This is where I seem stuck. I am tempted to get a job rather than invest myself 100% in the nonprofit which might or might not lead to anything.

My dream is to live somewhere with some nature around me, a fireplace, some animals, a bathtub (yeah, right now I only have a shower) and QUIET!

Mostly, my dream is to have peace in my heart and the ability to interact with the world in a genuinely loving way ... to build positive relationships.

I'm going on and on ... sorry, but I just want to say that every time I write answers to the kinds of questions that people ask around the question of "What is my life's purpose?" I come up with wanting to interact with children (especially underserved children) ... to bring them opportunities for fun and learning, and to prevent child and animal abuse.

Right now, I do have the opportunity to interact with underserved youth in an urban setting to bring them closer to nature. It seems I'm on the right track. But then the thought of getting paid for what I do comes up and I begin to feel discouraged.

Well, I'll stop here. Thanks for listening.
Lois

SUZIE'S COMMENTS...


Hey Lois,

I am slow this week at getting comments responded to and up on the Site, I sincerely apologize.

I love and appreciate you sharing so freely and honestly. What I love the most is that you are earnestly interested in living your best life.

It is what I believe we all want and feel. Some of us find that peace, some of us give up on it and some of us are continually refining what is best and "on-purpose" for ourselves.

You sound like you are on a great adventure,=... you're refining, learning and finding all sorts of clues along the way - which is really wonderful. And, it sounds like the adventure is sometimes not feeling exactly like an adventure, too!! :)

There's so much to say about this topic - it is something I continually work through and think about... but for me there are two things that continually help me find peace and inspired action:

1. Find ways to strengthen the amount time you are "In the Zone" (cultivating your own tuned-in-connected to Souce feelings) by taking 15 minutes a day to tune in....I call it my Tune In Time.
   

   THIS small action every day is the most amazing thing I do for myself and for finding my purpose - than anything else. It helps TUNE ME to my own Guidance and Knowing I cannot emphasize this...THIS is where PEACE is found. It is first and foremost an internal "thing".




2. The other thing that has helped me SO MUCH is the Workplace Motivators assessment---this tool measures what energizes you. My results help me clarify what is best for me, and helps me stay true to my own intentions.
   

   It's a bit like Tune In Time, though---not a big lighting bolt in the sky answer---but, it serves as my compass and helps me trust myself in following my own interests.
   

   I make online access to this assessment available, and have created online Debrief tools.
   

   If you decide to complete the Assessment, after you've reviewed the Debriefing video and materials, call or email me and I will spend 30+ minutes with you (at no cost, of course and with nothing else to sell to you) to talk through your results, @ how to use them as you move forward. Just call or email me. Okay?

Thank you Lois for sharing your journey, and for spending time on the Wake Up Eager Site.

I'm seeing for you more peace and more joy and all sorts of "I AM ON PURPOSE" feelings.

I know that someone like you, someone with strong desires and strong intent, ALWAYS finds their next perfect step---your's is there and it is getting clearer and clearer, by the minute.

All the Best, and More!
Suzie