I’m not sure why I’m feeling especially inspired this evening. Perhaps it’s sparked by the extra time I was able to spend with family or the two hour drive I had back to school. Regardless, my heart’s been speaking non-stop and as I started to write, I realized that I couldn’t stop. Below is a piece of my heart, a glimpse into my mind, and a challenge for you, my dear reader. I pray you find clarity in these words. I pray you find freedom in realizing this life is your own. I pray you have the courage to take action.
Destined for More.
You get one life. You get one life to soar. To identify your dreams. To pursue your purpose. Relentlessly. Unapologetically. Without explanation.
You get one life to live into the fullness of what Jesus purchased for you (peep my friend Lisa Bevere for that mantra).
How do you start? Well, what makes you happy? What gets you gitty? What makes you want to jump out of bed right now? Maybe it’s the thought of going to the gym (or not). Maybe it’s painting with water colors. Or going to Barnes & Noble. Maybe it’s hanging out with your best girlfriend and laughing over caffeine and dairy-free cheesecake (where are all my lactose-intolerant peeps at?).
How can these things possibly point to your purpose? It’s fairly straight-forward. We like to make purpose out to be some big, mountainous idea that appears impossible to summit. That’s how I viewed it anyways. But honestly, I think purpose is just the thing that makes you feel the most alive. When you do it, you’re reminded of how much you enjoy it.
Entrusted with Uniqueness.
Your purpose is typically one of two things.
- It is something you do so often that it’s become ingrained in your routine; you hardly notice its significance.
- Your purpose is something you’ve silenced and underplayed for so long that it lacks the voice necessary to make itself known.
But purpose is within us. It doesn’t span outside our realm of being. So with that in mind, the process of pinpointing it should feel slightly less abstract and unattainable because we already have what we’re seeking.
If going to the gym makes you happy (because I am told these people exist), perhaps being a personal trainer or running a marathon sounds like the coolest thing since sliced bread. If you love to paint, maybe doing freelance work on the weekends makes your heart whole. If you like books, consider writing your own. If you enjoy photography, start your own website to showcase your photos.
For me, purpose takes many forms, all pointing in the same direction towards a broader, overarching theme for my life. I love to create an environment flowing with positive thoughts, affirmations, and encouragement for myself and others. I love sharing inspirational quotes and random, silly thoughts in hopes that others feel encouraged to keep going. I am obsessed with the idea that we choose the day we want, the attitude we have, and the future we live.
Start Doing More of what You Enjoy.
If you’re like me, nothing sounds more enjoyable than a Saturday morning at a local coffee shop that has a great aesthetic, offers oat milk, and involves extensive laughter with one of my girlfriends.
1) Do that more often.
2) Perhaps you, too, crave community.
I thrive on connection and relatibility. I think it’s because after a long day or a busy week, I find such freedom in letting it all out with a trusted friend. The unpolished– often unfiltered– happy/crappies of the week. I want to remind others that it’s okay not to be okay all of the time and that pretending to be is ridiculously exhausting.
Real is Relatable.
I think having people to be real with is one of life’s greatest gifts. We are surrounded by a world oozing of perfectly curated ads and social media accounts. The pressure to measure up to society’s unspoken standards can feel all-consuming.
It’s a needed reminder at times– real is relatable. It will always triumph over even the prettiest of Pinterest pages.
My cup gets filled to the brim when talking to a girlfriend about what’s really on our hearts. I’m fascinated and completely fixated on the fact that we get one life– one single lifetime; our very own, unique life– to live out our days in a way that reflects the gifts and abilities planted deep within us.
You Decide how to Spend Your Days.
I want to be the very best steward of my time. I want to color a little, or a whole bunch, outside of the lines. I want to follow a path that might not look like anyone else’s and be okay with it. I want to see the dreams in my heart that I’ve spent time envisioning and praying for come to fruition right before my very eyeballs.
My friends question how I sleep with a brain that moves 100 mph. My mom has to constantly remind me to tone it down for fear of scaring people (sorry if you’ve already reached that point).
I’ve barely scratched the surface of what a life seeking– no, striving– for more can look like and I can’t fathom stopping now.
What makes you happy? What makes you feel the most alive? Don’t think too hard about it. Now start doing more of that thing. In some capacity. In any way. Just do a little more of that thing every day or every few days or every week.
And once you start, you’ll want to keep going. We all want happiness and fulfillment and to feel like we’re living for more than just a 40 hour work week. This is a great place to start.
Go live. I’ll meet you there.