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What Is My Purpose? Helaine Iris © 2002

“When I chased after money, I never had enough. When I got my
life on purpose and focused on giving of myself and everything
that arrived into my life, then I was prosperous.” –Wayne Dyer

For most of my life I can remember asking myself the question,
“Who am I and why am I here?” My answer to myself often left me
feeling empty and wondering if I would ever know my true life’s
purpose.

As a child and young woman, I didn’t have a grand dream or
calling that I could remember. I was interested in a lot of
different things and wasn’t afraid to explore. My parents, both
successful individuals didn’t have glamorous careers or speak of
lofty visions of achievement. Growing up with them, I knew I
would get married, have a family and find something meaningful
in the world that I would hope to find fulfillment in.

I found many gratifying things to do over the course of my life,
I was a dancer, practiced as a midwife, owned a few businesses,
and worked as a women’s health counselor. Although I appreciated
these many opportunities and some of them were quite rewarding
none of them ever hit the mark.

Left with a nagging feeling of dissatisfaction, there HAD to be
something more to life. I kept looking for that one perfect
opportunity, the reason for my being, and the fulfillment of my
purpose! Just like the predictability of the seasons I kept
asking myself, “Who am I and why am I here?” I was convinced
that what I DID defined who I was and I discovered I wasn’t
alone in this assumption.

If you ask a hundred people how they would define purpose they
often respond by saying, purpose is what we are meant to “do”
while we’re here on earth; it’s how we make a difference in the
world utilizing our gifts and talents. This conventional
perspective relies on the ability to somehow know or stumble
across that magic thing that is your destiny to fulfill. No
wonder many people go through life wondering what their purpose
is and not feeling satisfied.

I began to look at purpose from a new and exciting perspective.
Instead of purpose being my “doing-ness” in life, my purpose is
my “being-ness”.

Your life purpose is the context or vessel that HOLDS your life
suggests Dr. W. Bradford Swift, founder of the Life On Purpose
Institute and author of “Traveling the Purpose Path”. Imagine a
beautiful jeweled goblet as your life purpose and the glorious
wine within it your life. Can you see how your life purpose can
shape your whole life as well as give it form and direction?
Your life purpose, that beautiful vessel is a combination of
three things: who you are at the very core, your vision for
yourself and what you see possible for the world and your
values. When I began to answer my own question, “who am I and
why am I here” from this perspective a whole new world of fresh
possibility opened up for me.

Can you imagine everything you do in your life pouring from this
purposeful vessel of your being- ness? Imagine everything you
engage in from doing the dishes to leading a board meeting as a
direct expression of your life purpose. How would you feel?

Here are some questions to consider helping you begin to clarify
YOUR life purpose.

1. Who are you deep down? What do you love and what makes your
heart sing?

2. When you are engaged in life and you are at your best, who
are you being underneath what you are doing?

3. What is your vision for yourself and what do you see possible?

4. What are your values, the principals that guide your life?

In these simple yet powerful questions I discovered my
being-ness. I now know who I am and why I’m here. I learned that
deep sense of fulfillment, which we are all seeking, comes from
just being me. Soon after I clarified my life purpose I had a
powerful experience. I was driving down the road on my way to
pick up my daughter. I heard that old familiar thought pop up
again, “who am I and why am I here?” I immediately became
present to the truth and beauty of my life purpose:

“A life on purpose is a life of courage, creative expression,
conscious awareness and abundant possibility through authentic
being and clear compassionate service and love.” My heart opened
and tears came to my eyes…I realized I never had to ask myself
that question again.

It’s your life…imagine the possibilities.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Helaine
Iris is a Certified Life Coach She works with individuals,
entrepreneurs, professionals, and leaders who want more out of
life. People, who want to lead successful, balanced lives filled
with love, passion and purpose. Are you ready to take a step
that could change your life? For a complimentary session visit
her website http://www.pathofpurpose.com or call her
603-357-8546 or email her helaine@pathofpurpose.com