Growing up, you probably heard the question, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” You were most likely asked that question at a young age, and it is quite a question to pose to someone who can barely be trusted to take care of a goldfish. You then go through life with that question on your mind. Your choices and interests change almost daily, and it can seem impossible to choose what it is you want to do, let alone what you are meant to do.
Finding your purpose is not easy, and it is usually something that you can’t deliberately look for. Rather, it is most likely something that comes to you. It can hit you like a ton of bricks or come to you in passing, but when it does, you don’t want to miss it. Here are a few ways that you can make the process of finding your purpose a lot easier.
Do What You Enjoy
One of the most important things you can do in life is to be happy. This may seem hard to do when there are so many obligations that you have in life. However, the old saying seems to apply to most people: When you are doing what you love, work doesn’t seem like work.
However, for many people, doing what you love for a job is not a reality. It is important for your wellbeing to find something in your life that brings you joy, even if it is just a hobby. When you are doing what you love, discovering what you are meant to do–your purpose–might be just around the corner.
Talk It Through
You might become discouraged in trying to find your purpose. It can be difficult to dodge the question of what you want to do, or it can become painful to watch those around you finding their passion and purpose when you haven’t been able to do the same.
Something that can help you on your journey toward finding your purpose is to work through what it is you are looking for. Sometimes your purpose can come to you, and you will have no idea that it has because you don’t know what you are looking for. Talking with someone you trust, such as a friend, family member, or perhaps even a therapist, can allow you to work through the noise and help you find what you are looking for in your life.
Don’t Fret Over Finding Your Purpose
Our lives are full of stress, and we do our best to dodge the questions about what we want to do with our lives and what our purpose in the world is. The quest to find our purpose can seem endless, and the overwhelming urge to turn to cynical thinking becomes stronger and stronger.
The great—albeit frustrating—thing about life is that much of what really matters to us comes into our lives unexpectedly. One of the best things that you can do is to not worry, and let your purpose come to you. You could search and search your whole life for what makes you special and what value you have in life. But just by being you, you already have value. There is no other you.
When people ask you what you want to do and what your purpose in life is, it is okay to say that you don’t know. The more time you spend being stressed out about finding your purpose and the meaning of life, the less time you have to actually enjoy the short time that you have in life.