What is the purpose of all of this, anyway?
Maybe there is some huge, predestined plan for each one of us—and for humanity as a whole. Or maybe there’s no meaning to anything at all. There are many ideas out there that attempt to answer the question of existence, but in the end, can any of us really know for sure?
Sometimes I feel like I have a strong destiny—a legacy to leave, a mission to complete while I’m on this planet—and I find passion and motivation in this idea. Other times, I swing to the opposite extreme and consider the concept that it's all neutral, and that the only meaning life holds is the one that we, as humans, give it.
Again, I’ll perhaps never know which is the truth, but what I do know is that each day—and each moment—I have an opportunity to either exist in fear or exist in love. And from this choice, I form my thoughts, my words, and my actions—which have an impact on how I feel, how smoothly my day goes, how I interact with others, and how I treat the planet.
I guess I like knowing that I have the freedom to choose how to live, and that my actions do have an impact—so what do I want that impact to be? Maybe if my fate’s not predetermined, then that means I get to create my own destiny, and then perhaps at the end of my life, I’ll look back at how all the dots connected, and I’ll say, “that was my purpose.”
Some think the definition of purpose involves a set of intentions that help each of us get through the day, the month, the year—supporting us through those especially tough moments, trusting that, “it all happened for a reason.” This notion can bring comfort to those who are struggling, and to life’s circumstances that seem out of our control. So we might find our peace in this grand design, or we might find it in knowing that the only thing we can really have control over is our inner world, and our response to life around us.
When we decide to respond with intention—acting from a place of love and not fear—it ripples out into the world around us. People can feel the state you are operating from, whether they know it or not, and you never know who you might inspire just by embodying good-feeling emotions and walking around with a peaceful heart.
Maybe we are here to discover why we are alive, and in the journey of contemplating life’s purpose, we find our right path. Maybe we are here to learn big lessons, or to teach others, or to give back in some monumental way. Or maybe the purpose of life is as simple as just enjoying it, making the most of our experience on this planet, and having fun with the people we meet.
Purpose is something that brings fulfillment, joy, peace, excitement, a sense of honor, and it tends to benefit not only you, but those around you too. What do you feel called to do? Maybe your “calling” isn’t from some external force, but merely the desires of your heart, yearning to be experienced through you.
Maybe you are meant to discover that inner call, and then follow it. Whether it’s having a big contribution that shakes the world, or it’s simply choosing to carry a smile on your face—to express kindness to the person in front of you, I think that's it. Anything that feels genuinely good and heart-aligned, the thing that lights us up even in some small way, following that little fire, and living from this heart space—that's it. If you’re struggling to find your purpose, try looking at whatever makes you feel most alive, and move towards it.
The search for answers regarding the reason for existence is a journey that may just take your entire life, and maybe you’ll never fully know. But if you can release the pressure a little, you might find peace in the not-knowing. Maybe if you're okay with life’s purpose being unknown, then you can allow yourself to just focus on the beauty of the current moment.
Presence—being in the now, tuning into your breath, and appreciating it for the miracle that it is. This is an invitation to surrender into stillness, where you can find your bliss—and then, out of curiosity, follow where it leads.
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*Just like your body craves nourishing foods, your mind and heart craves encouragement and inspiration. What you consume is what radiates out of you into the world. So here’s an invitation to keep taking in love-filled content—which lifts your spirits, and naturally overflows to those around you too.