I’ve been thinking lately about PURPOSE. What is it, where is it, do we need one?

In coach training, we were taught to rabbit on about purpose and how we can help people find one, as if it’s OUTSIDE us and our mission is to search for it; as if it’s hard to find – the final frontier…

But why would it EVER be so hard?

Then I thought about people I know, and whether I, observing them from outside, could tell who is living a purpose that I might venture to say is theirs to live. The answer was a resounding Yes!

There is a visible through-line of vision with so many people I know. Not articulated or even acknowledged, perhaps, but clearly visible, like a shining thread or aura pervading their lives.

Someone I know has majored in friendship. She has a wide and diverse group of friends, is generous and thoughtful, and tends them like a shepherd tends her flock. She adds hugely to their lives by truly seeing them, and loving what she sees.

Another friend is a wonderful artist and she has a very clear vision not only for her art, but also for what it means in the wider context of our world, the environment and how we respond to it.

Someone else has followed her muse to the ends of the earth and writes deep wisdom that is wrung from her heart and soul.

Another person brings joy and laughter, always and everywhere.

This is not ALL these people do, obvs., but when I asked myself – “What is the purpose that this person seems to be living?” this is some of what I saw.

You might think I’m projecting my relationship with these people onto their purpose. Maybe so. Obviously my view of someone’s vision means nothing to anyone.

Except that – I do wonder if sometimes others can see the thread of our lives more clearly than we can (and to have someone offering feedback is a beautiful gift; it’s why I wouldn’t be without a coach.)

Except that – this idea that we LIVE our purpose offers such hope and clarity!

I very much doubt that any of these beautiful people sat down at the age of 18 (when we are supposed to know precisely the path our lives will take – such folly!) and decided what their lifetime’s purpose was. How could they? We can never know the future.

It’s an unfolding. It’s an exquisite process of taking the next step that seems to make sense and light us up – followed by the next – and so on.

Then along the way we notice what we love and seem to be good at – or learn to be good at. So we do more of that.

And gradually, what emerges is a life of purpose.

We find our purpose, not in seeking it, but in living life fully.

Yet I see again and again among my beloved clients, this: we really don’t think we’re on “the right track”.

We think our real life is happening somewhere else, in some strange, quantum, other existence where we made “better” decisions and lived the life we were REALLY meant to live.

Do you see how we sabotage our hopes for happiness and fulfillment when we believe that?

Dear heart, it’s not a mystery, or a secret, or something you could ever “miss” – it’s baked in. It’s who you are. It’s right there, living in your desires, your quirks, the things you love and want and aspire to.

Often people will tell me how much they wish they still looked like they did at age 25, 35, 45 – whatever.

But I can almost guarantee that, at that age, all they focused on was their perceived flaws.

At 35 they longed to look like they did at 25. And TODAY is the same.

In another ten years, we’ll look back and realize that today, we were MAGNIFICENT exactly as we were, but we didn’t see it – instead, we want to look different.

So let’s stop doing that – and, by the same token, let’s stop imagining that “out there” there is a purpose that is ours, if we can only find it.

You’re living it, and it’s created by each day’s – each moment’s – clarity, insight and creativity.