We have access to a lot of flashy teachings about how to live your life’s purpose. If you’re reading this article, you’re likely interested in living a more joyful and abundant life based around the truth of who you are.

On any given day, we can open our phones and learn about spiritual bypassing, manifestation, embodiment, and the new fan favorite… Trauma Healing (which is great but can be oh-so-problematic on the internet).

Now, I won’t fully knock any of these modalities as a singular approach. We have to start somewhere. And if someone receives a message that is some iteration of “you came here to do more, and you get to do that” … I think we can all agree that’s good.

But here’s what you actually need to know to live abundantly in your life’s purpose; In this mini article, I’m going to clearly articulate how to locate your true purpose and the main things to help you thrive along the way.

If you’re reading this, it might just save you years of your life and thousands of dollars investing in any of the modalities mentioned above – no matter where you are on your path.

Before I begin, I want to emphasize that finding your purpose is the easy part. Having the grit to stay on the path when it gets bumpy and hang on no matter what is a different story. Think of “following your purpose” like downhill mountain biking. First you buy the bike (relatively easy), then you get on the trail. And if you’ve never tried downhill biking, what an incredible analogy of why many people will just keep their day jobs.

Introducing: The Roadmap for Thriving in Your Life’s Purpose

1 – Locate Your Purpose

Think about what you love to do. And without overcomplicating it, allow yourself to recall the simple pleasures that have been alive inside you your whole life. Here are some guiding questions:

• What do I love to do?

• What activity am I doing when it feels like time just passes?

• What do I show up for no matter what (even when I’m tired and drained)?

• If it were up to me, and I didn’t have to worry about making money, what would I spend my days doing?

I invite you to think of how you feel when you’re doing these things, rather than what you’re actually doing. What components are present (community, stillness, adventure, math)? What parts of it do you like? These questions should give you a pretty good idea of your purpose in life. It is very important that you answer these questions, trust them (even if your answer is online shopping), and let it feel simple. So basically, you just bought your mountain bike. Let’s keep going.

2 – Show Up For It No Matter What

The thing you chose in step one is likely something that’s simple and gives you energy. Now that you have an idea of what it is, connect a mini goal to it and make time for it daily. When you’re doing the thing, notice how you feel. Give yourself reminders such as “I love doing this” or “this gives me great energy.” And if you fall back into old patterns and forget to make time for what you love, forgive yourself. It’s okay and you can try again tomorrow.

3 – Understand that your purpose contributes to the healing of the world

New data shows that when you follow your life’s purpose (and you do the things that make you happy), you’re able to heal your past, make more money for you and your entire family, age better, and be happier. It’s also proven to be true that when you follow your purpose, you inspire others to do the same.

4 – Stay the Course

Following your life’s purpose will likely go against the things you’ve been doing your whole life to keep you safe (conforming to society, getting the approval of your family, landing a safe job, etc). Here are the main things to remember when the road gets bumpy:

The primary function of your nervous system is to keep you SAFE.

Every new thing that you do (aka expansion) will feel unsafe in the body. In order to build up safety and trust, you want to take it step by step and remind yourself that it’s okay. Similar to if you were placed at the top of a mountain biking trail with no experience, you might find your way back to your car on foot, grab a latte, and drive home. Instead, start on a flat path and feed yourself affirmations of “I’m doing this” and “it’s safe to follow my dreams.”

Another great way to build trust is to surround yourself with people who support you and believe in you. Cue a great group of friends, podcasts, or mentorship groups.

5 – Set Strong & Healthy Expectations

It is equally as important to think “I was born to live my purpose and do great things” as it is to think “life is always new and exciting and it will challenge me along the way.” When we meet the roadblocks of following our purpose with healthy expectations, we can smile and know that they’re a part of the journey. Rather than get down ourselves, we might see an opportunity for further education, mentorship, support, or getting back to the drawing board. If our default is to get creative and curious, we will always continue to thrive on our path of purpose and expansion. And that, is the key.

Photo by: Anna Captured