Wellness Monday is here to give you tools to help you each week as you take your own wellness journey.
This week on Wellness Monday we are going to dig deeper into our deeper purpose which is another way of saying finding your WHY!
First, let's start with why your why matters.
The Blue Zones is a term that refers to geographic areas with high rates of longevity and lower rates of chronic diseases. A study by National Geographic found that the 7 parts of the world where people live well into their 100s had several things in common. One of the commonalities was "purpose"! Their "Why" was defined, they had a reason to get up every morning and they did it with joy! Why does your "Why" matter? It makes you healthier!
Second, Digging in!
Have you been struggling to find purpose and meaning in life? Maybe that’s the main reason you follow this blog. Do you feel like you are living on auto-pilot or just going through the motions? Are you frustrated and confused because you have a great job, a happy family, a nice home, good friends – all the things we’re told we need to be happy – yet you still feel unfulfilled?
First off, you are certainly not alone. Many people, including myself, have struggled or are still struggling with this! Many factors contribute to this lack of purpose and fulfillment, so we’re going through them this week, as well as how to fix them.
The first problem with finding more meaning in life is feeling overwhelmed and burned out. Our ‘hustle’ culture has fooled us into believing that being busy is fulfilling. The busier you are, the more fulfilled you must feel. This may be true for some, but definitely not for most. If you are doing a lot but still don’t feel like you’re getting anywhere, then you’re doing too much of the wrong thing. You will never find meaning or purpose when you are too exhausted to figure it out.
The solution is to take a step back. This requires just letting go of some responsibilities or activities for at least a little bit. Only then can you see what you actually miss, if there was anything that brought you joy and meaning. Then you can add it back into your life and have more time and energy for it after leaving other busy work behind.
A lack of identity or sense of self is a huge roadblock to living a life of fulfillment. I mean, if you don’t know who you truly are and what you value most, how can you find purpose and meaning in your life? It seems so obvious, yet many of us are living that way. We are navigating life with someone else’s compass. We let society, culture or family define what success is – what it looks and feels like. Then we wonder why when we’ve achieved those things, we still feel empty. It's also important to recognize that you can be fullfilled in your own ways even if others don't "get it". It's YOUR purpose!
The solution? Start living a more authentic life!
Take time to explore your own values, vision and dreams for your life.
Figure out who you really are, what you stand for, what brings you joy, what you are meant for.
You have probably ignored your sense of sense for far too long. It is time to find your identity. Maybe you have never done this to begin with, or it has changed and you need to recognize that change. This takes self-evaluation and reflection. And it’s a great time to do it after taking that step back and observing your own life. 👌Define your own deep-rooted success.
Start today by giving yourself some quiet, uninterrupted time to really discover yourself. Consider these questions and take time to journal without analyzing your thoughts.
What makes you smile with great joy?
If you had an entire day to do whatever you wanted, what would you do?
What brings you a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction?
Where or with whom do you feel most comfortable?
If you already had financial freedom, what would you choose to do?
What do you feel most natural or comfortable doing?
When/where/in what situation do you feel most proud of yourself?
Actions to work through issues:
💕Spend 10-15+ minutes journaling your feelings every day
💕Share your feelings/experiences with someone close to you
💕Forgive yourself and others for what happened in the past
💕Establish boundaries to protect yourself from further hurt
💕Write a letter to yourself at the time/age of when you were hurt
💕Pray or do a devotional about what you have experienced
💕Engage in regular self-care to rest and reset your nervous system
💕Talk to a professional counselor or therapist
💕Join a support group with people who share your trauma
Do you feel disconnected? Another Blue Zone trait is connectedness. Even introverts need people. A genuine sense of community is important and not to be confused with the false sense of community from social media.
Consider these ideas:
get out of the house more
invite others over more
have regular calls or video chats with people?
start a new book study group
create a mom group in your area
start a wine or coffee group
invite someone on a walk with you
make more time for date nights or girls’/guys nights
join a fitness class or gym
join a crafting group
take an in person class
Where do you truly belong? Don’t think about where you feel you should fit in or others’ perceptions. Think about who you feel most comfortable with and who you can truly be yourself with. Life is too short.
The last problem I want to point out with finding fulfillment is a lack of gratitude and service in your life.
Sometimes to find your personal purpose, you need to look outside yourself. Experiencing things like empathy, compassion, generosity, and gratitude can help you find what you really want out of life. We tend to find more meaning when we are involved with and serving others and contributing to a greater purpose in the world. Serving only yourself and your selfish desires may give you immediate satisfaction, but will not lead to long-term fulfillment. We are not created that way! Generosity also boosts your self-esteem and happiness and lowers stress and anxiety. Always keep the bigger picture in mind. Forget about material possessions and status. Instead, think about what kind of legacy you want to leave behind. How do you want to be remembered?
Finally, before you get distracted and consumed by wanting more, you need to first be grateful for what you already have. Expressing gratitude has been shown to strengthen relationships, improve physical and emotional health, improve sleep and increase energy and overall happiness. All this only helps support your efforts to discover yourself and your purpose!
Take time the rest of the week to reflect on these things and dig deeper to look at your deeper purpose!
PS: I really like you being you even when you being you is different from me being be me! It other words, you are awesome just being you!
Protect your skin from far more than just the sun. Naturally derived mineral titanium dioxide provides chemical-free SPF 30 Broad Spectrum UVA/UVB protection. Natural marine biopolymers protect you from pollution. Patented antioxidants protect against free radicals. Vitamins and nourishing oils moisturize your skin and improve overall appearance of skin tone. YOUTH products are all 100% vegan and cruelty free.
Comments