There’s been a lot of talk lately about living a purpose-driven life, and being your authentic self which, in my opinion, is something that’s long overdue, especially in the Western World.
But, what does that all really mean? As a child it’s likely that you had some burning desire to be “something”. And, whatever that something was, it was a deep-rooted desire that filled you with excitement. Over the years, this burning desire gets slowly washed away through compartmentalised education and the pressures of family and what society expects of you.
As a child it’s likely that you had some burning desire to be “something” … Over the years, this burning desire gets slowly washed away …
I grew up as the child of migrant Asian parents, who had to start from nothing, worked 364 days of the year and always instilled in me the need to be wealthy, and that having no money was a terrible thing. I pursued a design career and ran my own business for 19 years before deciding that this was not fulfilling that burning desire within me, despite having been successful financially.
So, after selling my business and moving to the country, these are the three things I’ve discovered about living on purpose and being your authentic self and letting it flourish.
Although we may do something we love every day, there can come a time that being good at what we do, getting great feedback and making good money from it simply isn’t enough. When you reach this point you need to add more meaning and purpose to what you do to be able to continue getting pleasure out of your work life.
Finding a deep meaning to what you do is one solution. Examine your core values and assess whether your work aligns with that. If not, look for ways that you can introduce a deeper meaning, perhaps by providing pro-bono services or introducing a giving program as a direct result of people working with you. When you do this, instantly you gain a deeper connection to how you spend each day, knowing that you are making a difference beyond your profit.
… There can come a time that being good at what we do, getting great feedback and making good money from it simply isn’t enough.
In days gone by family, extended family and community were everything. With the advent of globalisation and increased use of technology, ironically we seem less connected than ever. We go to work, come home and seem to keep ourselves shut off from our neighbours and wider community. Finding ways to engage with other people in your community can be so rewarding and give greater purpose to your life outside of work, enhancing your family experiences in the process.
When you connect with something that has meaning to your life, whether that’s getting involved in a community garden project, volunteering at your children’s sporting clubs, helping out with voluntary clean-ups or any other community action group, your sense of well-being and purpose soars. You become connected and fulfilled beyond your own needs by helping others and using your skills and talents to do so.
Finding ways to engage with other people in your community can be so rewarding and give greater purpose to your life outside of work …
We’re bombarded by the latest exercise and diet information in the media and online, and we’re encouraged to take regular trips to the doctor, join the gym or take up the latest exercise fad.
But, your well-being is more than just following a diet and turning up to pump iron once a week. There are so many more ways to look after your well-being as whole, physically, mentally and spiritually. All three aspects are important to your overall happiness and, when you align your well-being activities with your life goals your perceived success in life increases dramatically.
But, whatever you practice for your well-being, whether it’s meditation, yoga, cross-fit, jogging by the ocean, it needs to be driven by a purpose that is meaningful to you. Accepting that it isn’t all for you or doesn’t feel right for you is paramount to the success you achieve in getting balance for your well-being. And, the rewards across all areas of your life of deciding to look after you on your own terms are immeasurable.
… When you align your well-being activities with your life goals your perceived success in life increases dramatically.
Featured Photo Credit: jjay69 via Compfight cc
Kathy Wong
Kathy Wong, founder of Soul Republic and Moeloco, has a burning passion to inspire a community of individuals, encourage them to hope, to live their dreams, to create change and take meaningful action in the world around them. After many years running her own highly successful design business, Kathy felt unfulfilled and knew that she needed to reassess her daily work and life.
Through her social enterprise, Moeloco, Kathy is not just inspiring others to make a difference in the world, she is facilitating it through her buy one, give one business model. Every product sold by Moeloco directly benefits a child in need through the Hope Foundation. Visit www.moeloco.com for more details and inspiration.
