Purpose is the Best!
I am happy because I have a purpose. I do things purposefully and have a strong sense of the reason (or why) behind everything that I do. And when I connect the dots between what I want to do and what I am doing, I see congruence in the two things which ultimately make me live a happier life.
It was not always this way. I am not saying I am happy all the time. Who of us really is? However, most of the time, I am a happy person and I think it has a lot to do with having a purpose. Research shows that the world's happiest people report having a strong sense of purpose. I would not disagree with this. I remember my maternal grandmother (may she rest in peace) would always tell us her whole purpose in life was to be happy and make others happy. How did she do that? She served others, beginning with Grandpa and her children and grandchildren and she took care of both big and small things for everyone. That was her purpose, and doing things purposefully made her a very happy person. I nostalgically remember that at Christmas every year, Grandma would spend many days prior preparing all kinds of goodies for everyone, the best gift bags full of candy and chocolates for all friends and acquaintances, and many hours in the kitchen preparing the best dishes and desserts. She did it because she cared, wanted the best for others, and rejoiced in seeing everyone happy. She never once complained because this joy came from her parenting and housework, and that strong sense of purpose was always materialized and fulfilled in her actions. And we all loved her and will always love her for it.
We all do so much every day, be it in our personal lives, in our work, hobbies, interests, and unique journeys. Maybe we don't often question our purpose and perhaps it may be helpful to do so now or soon. Why are you here? What drives you? What is your passion? Don't worry if it seems daunting; instead, consider that the answers will help you find the purpose for which you are here and will ultimately give you greater sense of it.
Here are some of the things that have worked for me to find or discover my purpose.
Do what you love and love what you do - Anywhere and at anything you tackle, do it because you love it. If you are not doing what you love, ask yourself why.
Don't bite more than you can chew - Find only a handful of things you can actually do and do so well so that you do not leave things hanging or are unable to finish what you start. Also, give priorities to the things that must be done before anything else and those things that will give you the most rewards.
Question what really matters- A former boss used to ask me "if everything is important, then what is important". This is a daily exercise for many of us and one that really helps to frame your perspective and align your purpose with what needs to be done. Purpose comes from your love or passion, so always put that first as the basics for everything that drives how fulfilled you really are!
Don't get too comfortable doing what you are doing - Maybe you are staying at a job you don't enjoy or you dread going to most days? Every day? Maybe you don't like where you are in your career? Perhaps you have mastered your hobby so much that you can do it on auto-pilot? Ask yourself what you could be doing differently or should be doing differently altogether to bring you more joy and fulfillment. Time is of essence!
Fail fast and don't be afraid to fail - Look at failure as really what it is: a normal part of life - We must fail several times before we good at something. Think back at when you learned how to walk? Maybe you don't remember but I can tell you that your parents saw you fall and never stopped you until you got it right and were confident and bold at it! Taking risks is important and always knowing that while we don't anticipate failing at what we do, it happens, and we must embrace the failures to learn from these and evolve in every aspect of our lives.
Everyone has a purpose, a "why" as one of my favorite authors, Simon Sinek, often says. Maybe the above have jogged your memory or sparked an interest - There is so much on this topic, and yet so much is so basic. Knowing where to start helps, but knowing the deeper answers (all within yourself) makes the journey so much more meaningful and inspiring not just for yourself but also for others.