What are you here for?

What are you living for? What is your purpose?

Rarely do most of us stop to ask these questions when we get busy with all the daily tasks, crises, and demands. But what if you were living out your purpose on a regular basis? 

Wouldn't it be nice to have a way to know exactly what to say yes to and what to say no to, with full permission and joy?

For myself, my purpose is clear. I create communities of grace. 

Now that I know that I'm here to create communities of grace, I know what to spend time on. I feel euphoric and peaceful.

• I'm on the right track when I pay attention to, accept and love my kids with today's proud moments and struggles. That creates community in our family. 
• I'm on the right track when I'm teaching at Awaken Coach Institute. The love and warmth we create among our faculty, community, and in our groups of 12 students per cohort is a life-changing experience that our grads carry with them into the communities they serve. 
• I'm on the right track when I host Beloved Community groups, when I take a good friend out for coffee, and when I teach community leaders.

I also know when I'm off track and spending my time on the wrong things. I get grouchy and feel unsettled.

• I'm off track when I spend time figuring out solutions to technical issues, and get frustrated and start judging myself. That takes away an opportunity for my staff to do what they love, and it takes away my energy for kindness.
• I'm off track when I'm scrolling through social media on my phone in the evenings. That steals moments of connection with my husband and kids. 
• I'm off track when I say yes to requests because the other person needs help, and not because I'm skilled at or love to do what they're asking. That takes away from the other person's ability to access their true resources. 

The Japanese concept of Ikigai helps us to know that what we are doing not only provides us with money, but also happiness, passion, and a sense that we are providing real value to others while achieving our purpose on earth.

By reflecting on four areas: what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for, you can pinpoint what provides you and your community with a great feeling of blessing. 

Your purpose will be unique to you, just as mine is different from my mom's, my colleague's, my husband's, my assistant's. That's the point - it's really important to be YOU.

When you get it slightly out of whack, it can be disastrous. Either you won't be able to keep doing it because it's not providing for you financially, or you feel empty and meaningless, or you end up frustrated, angry, and unmotivated. Plus, your whole community has missed out on what can be a life-giving river to all, and you've perhaps deprived someone else of the joy of serving in their passion.

When you look at this visual, how close are you to the center? What tweaks would get you closer? 

With great love,