Last week, we talked about what it means to live with purpose and I briefly touched on why it is important to do so. Today, I want to dive a little deeper and talk more about it.
Making the decision to live your life with purpose, and then finding said purpose can have a profound effect on your life.
It Gives Your Life Meaning
When you decide on your life’s purpose, it gives what you do a lot of meaning. Every step along the way, and all the work you do towards reaching your goals, serves to bring you one step closer. It becomes much easier to get things done, when they are done with purpose and with a firm goal in mind.
Think back to daily life with small children. It was sometimes a mindless, energy-robbing experience to just keep them alive and fed throughout the day. The days were hard for me when I forgot the greater purpose for mothering – to love and nurture people who would turn into decent human beings. When I remembered my purpose, even the smallest interactions were imbued with beauty and significance.
When you have rediscovered your purpose for the next season of life, the steps and tasks of every day will be directed to your new goals.
It Creates A Value System
Living with purpose also helps you define and set a system of core values that will guide you throughout the coming years. You don’t have to waste time and energy each day trying to figure out if what you’re doing is right or worth doing. As long as it aligns with your purpose, you know you’re on the right track. That gives you a lot of confidence in what you are doing.
Once again, think back to when the kids were little. Some of the things you did were reading tons of books to them, or taking them to the park and the pool. Why did you do these things? Probably because you valued literacy and physical activity. You didn’t reevaluate each day whether a trip to the library was worthwhile. It was hardwired in your values and made sense.
When you know what’s next in life for you, you will hone those values even further, which will allow you to make decisions and take actions with confidence.
It Increases Your Feeling Of Self Worth
When you are living with purpose and working towards a worthwhile goal, you take a lot of pride in what you do. With each passing day, and each small step that you reach towards that goal, your sense of self-worth will also increase. Use that feeling to propel you through the next day and the next challenges ahead.
It Leads To Fulfillment and Happiness
Living a life with purpose, that’s meaningful and gives you a sense of self-worth and confidence leads to happiness. Happiness is clearly related to feeling fulfilled by the life you’re living.
We are social creatures who need to make a difference and have a purpose, a place in society. We may think that material things bring us happiness, but what truly matters is how meaningful, helpful, and purposeful what we do is. Don’t be surprised to notice a measurable increase in your overall happiness as you go through this purpose discovery process.
It’s Good For Your Mental And Physical Health
Last but not least, living with purpose is good for your health. Being needed, being helpful, and adding value to the lives of others has a measurable effect on both your physical and mental health. In fact, one of the best ways to fight depression is to find meaning and purpose in what you do each and every day.
Moms, you may feel sad that your kids are growing and leaving the nest. Some sense of sadness is appropriate. But it is time to make a shift from looking back as what WAS, to looking ahead to what CAN BE.
If you liked this post, check out: Reigniting Mom to Live with Purpose and Passion
