Determining our purpose and what we feel called to do in our lives is a question that once we answer, brings deep fulfillment.
These 10 clues can help you discover more about what you feel your life or soul purpose is in terms of your contribution or soul-inspired work or mission.
Look back over your life and notice different stages you have been in and how you felt doing certain things.
What lights you up, what you pursue no matter what, is a big indicator of what your soul is calling you to do.
1. Your calling is connected to what you love to do. You’ll do this whether or not you are getting paid for it.
2. It serves or improves the lives of others. This can range from teaching to the arts to baking to starting your own business. The great thing is you get to decide what it is you want to do.
3. How it makes you feel. You feel alive and on purpose doing what you love.
4. It inspires and energizes you and you enjoy sharing what you know, have learned, or simply find natural to do with others.
5. You often lose track of time and forget yourself and your own worries.
6. It allows you to be yourself. You can be authentic and follow your heart. You don’t have to pretend or force yourself to do something that feels false or unnatural for you to do.
7. You’re good at it. It uses your innate talents and you enjoy developing your skills and abilities in this area.
8. You feel like you’re home. It sits well with your soul. It feels like a good fit.
9. Your past experiences will be connected to shaping your purpose.It grows with you through the stages of your life. Maybe you have memories of learning from a mentor or overcoming challenges and growing stronger. Now your wisdom and life experience adds to your purpose and makes what you do richer for it.
10. You find yourself imagining, daydreaming and eventually creating opportunities to explore it further through classes, trainings, books, interning, mentoring, volunteering, or other experiences that allow you to expand your abilities.
One of the most important clues to pay attention to is how you feel. If you feel uplifted and in the present moment doing something you love, it’s likely that this is connected to your purpose.
When we avoid our calling, we often feel stuck, bored or unfulfilled filling our time with non-related activities.
When you find yourself willing to move through challenges and obstacles to keep refining, exploring and deepening your skills and experience, you know that you have found a significant key to your soul-inspired purpose.
You may take for granted what you know or easily do, but others will notice. They will listen attentively or want more of what you offer because it feels good to receive it.
In my twenties I spent many hours contemplating what my purpose was and how I could use this in a meaningful career. I took career assessment tests, met with a career counselor and read a lot of job books designed to help you discover your ideal career.
The one thing I noticed more than anything about myself was that I enjoyed helping others and I noticed that I liked listening to people and inspiring them to believe in themselves.
I still felt like I was missing a piece of the puzzle until I read a career book I found in my art school library. The author included a list of attributes and the one that stood out for me was mystic.
I knew this explained my draw to spirituality, intuition, and magical or miraculous events related to a belief in divine intervention and guidance.
I encourage you to keep exploring what you want to do and what brings you joy. Believe in your heart that your soul will call you to follow a path that will bring deep fulfillment to you and to others.
Trust that the mystery will sort itself out as you take your next step.
Be observant and continue to notice how you feel and go forward with those things that make you feel alive and on purpose.
