MODULE 5

Purpose

Integrate Who You Are into the Bigger Picture

Once you gain clarity around who you are as a human, you can integrate your personal identity into the bigger picture. In other words, you can combine the intangible aspects of spiritual health – connection to a greater unifying energy and connection to humanity as a whole – with the more tangible, grounded aspect of how you live your life on earth.

Purpose is the intersection of your spiritual and material existence – both why you exist and how it manifests in your life. It’s the integration of your personal identity and the bigger picture of how you use your life experiences to connect to and contribute to the world around you. How you make meaning will be unique to you. Yet, no matter your personal meaning, it’s important to consider challenges, obstacles, and “stuck points” throughout your life. These supposed frustrations are often the most powerful illuminators of your purpose!

Personal identity is a perfect example of this. It’s a common struggle, and we often feel like we have to juggle multiple aspects of identity that feel limiting, or in opposition of where we want to be. But spiritual health is about trust, and that includes trust that you’re who and where you are for a reason. Every part of you relates to the bigger picture of why you’re here. Every part of you is in some way connected to your purpose.

Identity Meets Purpose

Identity gives you a definition of self throughout your life. It includes the relationships, values, and events you experience. Who you are and the circumstances you were given were no accident. Your identity and your life journey are the perfect vehicle for your purpose. Reflecting on specific aspects of your identity is a powerful way to recognize how they have shaped your purpose.

Click or tab to each category of your identity in the following image to reflect on how it has shaped your purpose. You can also click or hit the enter key to uncover more information.

Your health is complex and shifts over time. Your health experiences, and those of your loved ones, hold the potential to shape the lives of others.

Consider: How has your health journey shaped your purpose? How does it affect the way you fulfill your purpose today?

No matter how you identify, gender can have a strong influence on identity and sense of self.

Consider: How has your gender influenced your purpose?

Your finances may shift over the course of your life, but your ability to fulfill your purpose stays constant.

Consider: How has your identity surrounding your finances influenced the way you fulfill your purpose?

Do you live to work or work to live? For some, career is very tied to identity and purpose, while for others, it is not.

Consider: How does your career play into your greater purpose?

Where you call home can influence your identity. For example, your community may yield a strong sense of hometown pride. Likewise, traveling to new places can also influence your way of thinking.

Consider: How have the places you’ve called home shaped your purpose? How does where you live impact the way you live your purpose?

There are many ways to define family, from the family you were born into to your chosen family. No matter how you define family, your relationships have the potential to shape you and the way your purpose manifests in your life.

Consider: How did the family you grew up in shape your path? How does your current family, whether that’s your biological family or chosen connections, affect your identity and how you fulfill your purpose?

The Purpose Fantasy

Visiting teacher Light Watkins discusses why the concept of a life purpose is often very different from what you might think.

See Your Purpose

Light Watkins explains how your biggest obstacles often lead you to your purpose.

The Influence of Purpose

The discovery and pursuit of meaning can impact life in more ways than anyone can know. Finding purpose and acting on it is not a singular issue – it’s an integral part of overall health and well-being(this link opens in a new window/tab)  and can affect many parts of your life. The gift you receive by finding your purpose – by honoring what you love and finding ways to incorporate it into life – is a gift that you can also pass on to others. You can become a catalyst for the same change and fulfillment you’ve discovered for yourself.

Acting from purpose – leading with it and aligning your behavior with it – allows you to contribute to your community(this link opens in a new window/tab)  in powerful ways. When people around you witness how connecting with purpose has influenced your life, it will cause a ripple effect, building a far-reaching network of harmony and support.

Purpose Meditation

Light Watkins leads you through a meditation to help you connect to your purpose.