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Do you feel stuck, out of alignment, or trapped by life circumstances? Maybe you hate your job but have no idea what you want to do with your life.
I know this feeling all too well. I spent years feeling stuck in a job that suffocated my soul, because I was so unclear about what I truly wanted to do with my life.
I use to look at professional athletes, musicians, and actors and gawk at their effortless beauty. They always seemed so connected to what they were doing; it was obvious they were doing what they loved. I wanted desperately to find my own life purpose, but the more I wanted it, the more I seemed to feel stuck.
Can you relate? You aren’t alone—a huge portion of the population feels trapped in a job they hate. Today’s message comes to you from the beautiful island of St. Thomas, part of the US Virgin Islands. I’m on the beach in Magens Bay, one of the top ten best beaches in the world according to National Geographic. You will love the view.
Today I share the three main steps I took several years ago to find my life purpose. If you ever wonder what the heck you should do with your life, enjoy these three simple steps:
1. Do What Brings You Immense Joy.
What brings you joy? If you feel like you don’t know, you can revisit your childhood and think about what you loved to do when you were younger. If you loved to go outside and play in nature, then go spend more time outdoors. The goal is to not put pressure on yourself. Maybe you loved nature, but then you automatically think, “How can I make a living in nature?” Don’t go there or let your ego mind stop you. The key is to just do what you love. Because the more joy you feel in your life, the more you are able to express yourself and inspiration will come to you. The process of doing what brings you joy will open more doors to what you are meant to do.
2. Don’t Worry about Finding Your Purpose.
Don’t worry about finding your purpose because your purpose will find you. When you do more of what you love, you open up your heart to more possibilities and inspiration will come to you. Instead of trying to find your life purpose, focus on more purposeful actions. When you take guided action, you will feel more fulfilled.
3. Focus on Serving Others.
Instead of asking “What can I get?” ask “What can I give?” How can you serve and help others? The more you help others, the more fulfilled you will be. As you step into your purpose, you can ask, “What can I do to help?”
What brings you joy? Leave your comments below.
I recently retired and thought, “great, I’ll be able to do what I love: surf, play tennis, do tai chi, gardening (more of the physical activities that I didn’t do enough of when I was working) volunteering, studying Portuguese (moving to Brazil when my wife retires next year).
Instead, my body broke down from past and recent injuries, and I’m unable to play any rigorous sports or even do light gardening. I’m no longer interested in teaching English as a second language–had been doing limited volunteer work. I’m getting bored read and sitting. I’m just not used to being sedentary. I’m feeling stuck, and don’t know how to get unstuck.
Thanks to the quick intro and video of you, I’m feeling more positive and am trying out your plan of “what to do with my life.”
Thank you so much. I’m looking forward to “seeing” you again.
Thank you Shannon for sharing this inspiring video and message, and for sharing having fun in that fab location. Your message is so spot on. After struggling for years over why am I here and being locked into doing things I hate, I took the 3 steps you’re talking about and it changed everything for me. Keep having immense fun!
Your joy shines through!I look forward to your videos each week. You are such an inspiration. Thanks for sharing!
Shannon, you are so inspiring. I hope you realize what a positive difference you are making to so many people’s lives. I don’t usually comment on posts or forums but felt this urge to just thank you from the bottom of my heart x
Shannon I absolutely adore and love your life and your purpose. My goal is to open up a Herbalife nutrition hub and serve people healthy treats, shakes and teas. I am working on my health journey and financial situation now so I can get there. But all because of your advice I’ve come a long way. I would love love to travel and be free one day. Thank you for being such an inspiration!
What a beautiful dream. Keep going you’re doing great.
Dear Shannon, I am a college student who cares deeply about protecting Mother Earth. This post really struck a chord in me, because of what you said about spending more time outdoors. I’ve always loved being outside, and I intend to take time outside to learn more from our fellow species, from observing plants and animals. I do a lot of environmental activism (like writing letters to government officials asking them to support protecting our planet, etc.) and am reminding myself that new ideas and opportunities emerge when we give ourselves a joyful break, take time to connect with our fellow beings. Peace and love!