A more flexible way to explore purpose
Years ago, I became obsessed with the idea of finding my “purpose”.
I thought about it constantly.
Read all the books.
Attended every workshop I could find on the topic.
Completed various assessments and met with coaches.
Yet never felt satisfied with what I came up with.
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I was looking for THE answer for what I should be doing with my life.
Approaching it as though I was solving a complex quadratic equation with a perfect solution.
With all head and no heart.
I spent years stressing about finding some sense of purpose that felt like it was out-there, beyond me.
In my pursuit, I lost sight of what was actually most important.
I was missing the opportunity to be truly present in my life.
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Eventually, I changed my approach.
And, with the guidance of some mentors, I accepted a new definition of my purpose.
“To authentically express myself through the various channels of my life. And to live and lead in a way that honours what matters most to me.”
What resonated about this definition was its flexibility and focus on the present moment.
It left so much space for my continued growth and evolution.
It’s worked really well for me.
Because instead of encouraging my perfectionistic tendencies, it’s invited me to go inward and get clear on my evolving sense of:
Who I am
What’s true to me today
What it looks like to authentically express myself
What matters to me
Together with mindfulness, defining my core values has been one of the most valuable tools to guide me through this work.
I’m sincere when I say that I think about them daily.
They inform all of my decisions, big and small.
And I revisit them regularly to ensure they continue to reflect what feels most true and important to me.
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This is the most recent iteration of my core values, along with how I aim to express them in my life:
Vitality - I lean into experiences and activities that enhance my sense of vitality. I practice gratitude, reverence and contentment. I nurture my feeling of aliveness.
Connection - I foster a deep sense of connection with others, with my inner world and with nature. I lead with compassion. I respect the interconnectedness of life.
Purpose - I use my time, voice, energy, talents and resources purposefully. I direct them towards meaningful causes. I live and lead with intention.
Growth - I view every experience as an invitation to grow. I seek out wisdom. I accept that I'm ever evolving and learning.
Courage - I choose what feels right and true over what feels easy. I have the courage to be seen.
Having these values as a touchstone helps guide me towards showing up as the person and leader I want to be.
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I've created a Values-Alignment Workbook to support you to:
- Define your core values
- Articulate what it means to express each through your leadership
- Assess the extent to which you're living your values
- Plan some next steps to align more closely to them
If this sounds like it would serve you, follow the link below to join the free Arborvida Community and receive access to the values-aligned leader workbook.