P U R P O S E
noun∙ the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists
verb∙ have as one’s intention or objective
There is so much and so little meaning to the word “purpose” nowadays that it’s often easy to lose understanding of why it’s so necessary to understand it. In life, there is a purpose to be seen and found in everything. Every action, every moment, every decision. But purpose is more than a reason. Purpose is a mentality, a feeling, a deep emotion, and has a soul that can only come from deep within your being.
As the years pass and life begins to take off faster and in more directions than anticipated, purpose is one of the first things you lose. Navigating tumultuous times, experiencing new emotions, living in new places, learning new things and surrounding yourself with new people all begin to alter your purpose. It’s a tough thing to realize that you don’t know what your purpose is or if you even have a purpose, but it’s the self-reflection and soul-searching from within that allows you to discover the potential of true purpose.
There is always a purpose to be found and appreciated. There is no sole purpose one has for existing in this world or a singular reason one should live the way they do. Purpose manifests from your soul and from your mind, not just from external factors like career opportunities, the city you live in or the family and friends you choose to surround yourself with. Purpose is built, and it only blossoms when you nurture it.
As a young woman, purpose has always felt slightly out of reach. From feeling lost as to how to achieve the next goal or get to the next place, to constantly wondering why I matter or where my place is, the significance of purpose has been the toughest lesson I’ve yet to fully learn.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the world and the feeling that everyone else around you is just that much further ahead. It’s even easier to get caught up in the glorified displays of life through social media and to feel that the world we live in is ‘oversaturated.’ It’s also easy to lose sight of yourself throughout it all and fall into a cycle of routine rather than drive.
It’s this cycle of comfort and consistency that can dismantle your inner purpose. As a young adult, I have struggled to find purpose in my self as a female. I have navigated the troublesome world of dating and been left a few too many times in dark places by men who were unable to recognize my purpose, nor my potential. I have come to terms with a chronic condition that threatens my ability to be a mother in the future every passing day. I have sat in hospital rooms before the age of twenty-one and been told that I may be infertile by the time I’m ready to start a family and that I’m too young to even make decisions for treatment without forfeiting the smallest chances I still have. I have cried and cried and cried into the nights just wondering “what’s the point” of all of the hurt and the difficulties and I have felt so sorry for myself. I have mourned and groveled, yelled and screamed, sat in silence and in thought, asking no one in particular, “What is my purpose?” just enough times that I finally decided to seek one.
Through growth by self-reflection, value sorts and moral organizers, self-help books and philosophical readings on love, vulnerability, and power, I learned that purpose is not granted, it’s created.
It is created by the individual and is not to be taken away by anyone else.
My purpose has grown to be my voice. It has evolved into a powerful value that I hold so dearly, I refuse to allow anyone to fault it. My voice is the greatest gift I’ve been given in life and though it’s often a loud one, this voice grants me the power to speak up. My purpose is to be myself, to advocate for all that I care deeply for and to cherish those who love me deeply as well. The purpose for me is not just a purpose to own a business, to change the world, or just make it through a day.
My purpose is to I N S P I R E and to do so with significance.
There is no shame in struggle and no success without challenge. One cannot understand purpose, let alone believe in purpose, without taking a risk and oftentimes, looking within. Search for it, embrace it, share it with the world and if you ever feel like you’re losing sight of it — dig deep.
There is significance in the search, throughout the journey, and within the construction of it all. All purpose is powerful and all power has a unique purpose. Use it.