She Inspires: How to Discover Your Purpose in Life

by Altimese Nichole | Jan 17, 2016 | Learn + Grow

I have been blessed beyond measure. As I prepare for the next year- I am reflecting on all that has been achieved this year and the many years before. Within this year, I’ve had the pleasure of working with amazing people, being promoted twice, getting married to my best friend, and I am finally finding true peace on my journey. Walking in purpose for me was more than a desire or wish, it was a necessity at a very early age. I can’t recall that moment that something clicked in me that purpose matters— but when it did, I followed with all that I had. It is a beautiful thing to not only discover purpose in life, but to live in your purpose.

If you’re looking for your purpose, here are some things that helped me along the way, that I would like to share with you:

1. Find out who YOU are Where your Source Resides

Among finding your purpose, we must first recognize the core of you.Who are you? Truly. What’s your truth; when you’re most authentic, most comfortable, most aware and filled with freedom? When this place is discovered, purpose can be found. As you find out who you truly are, it’s inevitable to overlook your Source of being. I realized that when I placed my source on tangible things or earthly things– my happiness and joy became dependant upon that tangible source, which made me extremely unstable and unable to plant myself in true security of knowing, “I am safe, here in my truth.” For me, it’s God. It was hard for me to find my purpose and passion and not seek Him first.

2. Ask yourself, “If I could do anything in this world with no limitations, what would it be.”

This for me was discovered, when I was a child– and my mother noticed it. I loved talking and I craved relationships. I make friends very easily, I still do (now with a wisdom-guided compass). I LOVE relationships. Not just the good things but the moments of growth that many people consider to be the downsides of relationships. It is in those moments, that we grow into our authentic voice and relationships become deeper than the superficial connections. I can also talk a lot (my love for both birthed my desire for writing, so I’ve always kept a journal to release the things that I felt wasn’t ready to be spoken in the world). Fast forward years later into adulthood and I’ve studied Communications and Management, worked at my childhood dream job, stumbled into Public Relations, used social media as my core skillset– made a decision to switch to marketing, and now building on that foundation through building an organization’s greatest asset; their people. All of this involves those two things of communication and relationships.

Find your passion. Truly ask yourself this question and embrace  your soul’s response. We think that we fear failure but often times we fear the success that follows if we pursue our dreams. Dare to dream and have the courage to move toward that dream.

3. Become a student to life and to all you encounter

It would be total deception to believe that my purpose was discovered and fulfilled on my own. It’s not true. The first person who helped me was my mother and there are MANY others along the way. After graduating from undergrad, I had all the passion but I was very naive to the importance of being teachable. I thought that my passion was enough– and it was not. Passion is not enough. It is an important key but there are other keys to walking into purpose. The door of my unthinkable didn’t truly open until I opened myself up to truly becoming a student to life. I was already great at being an academic student but there were people in my path that succeeded at the things I wanted. It wasn’t until I allowed my soul to learn from those people (through humility and a welcoming spirit).

Passion can most definitely get you there. However, developed character and integrity will help keep you there. These two things happen through adverse times or the wisdom of others. The path we take can sometimes be up to us.

It blows me away that all things I’ve dreamed about as a child and as a teen have been manifesting before my very eyes– and to think that it’s not close to being over is astonishing. There’s no luck here– only abundant grace–from God, and intention– from myself. You can do the same and I hope that this article helps spark the internal conversation that’s needed to shift your life to you mind-blowing life journey.

XOXO