The Little Known Secret to Finding Your Purpose
Have you ever wondered what really gives us a sense of purpose? It often feels a bit elusive and hard to fully grasp.
I recently went to Liberia, Africa, the second poorest country in the world. Some people thought I was crazy and thought it was dangerous, but my heart and soul were pulled to be there. I am so glad I listened to my inner voice and followed my intuition. It was a life changing trip.
If you truly want to find that sense of purpose, you need to give beyond yourself. I went to Liberia to serve, to give back and to help a nation in need. The beautiful thing is that I went without expectation, without an agenda other than giving all of who I am and helping in any way I can.
That was the key. NO expectation.
Finding ways to contribute to the world where you don’t expect or want anything in return is a huge factor in discovering a sense of purpose and meaning. And the irony is that when you give from a place of pure contribution, before you know it, you will feel filled up and full of life.
In the end, when you give without needing to get, you get more than you could ever imagine.
That is what happened on this trip to Liberia. And although I already had a sense of purpose in my life, giving at this level of committment and dedication gave me a deeper level of understanding of what that really means.
We were able to literally change thousands of lives with the simple gift of clean water. We delivered clean water systems to rural areas of Liberia – far out into the villages of a country devastated by civil war. The sense of awe and gratitude from the villagers was incredible – the water literally gave life to thousands of Liberians (the number one cause of death in Liberia is dirty water).
Something so simple, meant so much. Something we take for granted every time we turn on our tap and have a glass of water or take a shower. It’s hard to fathom that not everybody has that at their finger tips.
Here’s the thing, you don’t need to go to another country and do humanitarian work to create purpose and meaning in your life. It’s the little things in life that matter. Doing these little things in your every day life will give you a deeper sense of purpose and meaning and that is the key to ultimate long term happiness and joy.
You could go donate some time to a youth shelter, work in a soup kitchen, volunteer with a charity, open the door for an elderly person, go to the humane society and take a dog for a walk, cut your neighbor’s lawn, give someone a compliment, share your radiant smile and make someone else’s day. Do what ever feels right to you and do it often!
So, what are you going to do today to give back to someone else? How will that make you feel? How can you integrate this into your daily life? Share with me in the comments below and let me know how it goes!
As always, I wish you love, joy and happiness. Go out and create a RICH, Fulfilled, Abundant life you love and deserve. It starts with you!
Dawn xo