What Am I Supposed to Do with My Life?

Let’s chat about your life’s purpose. Do you know what it is?

I am sure you have heard the sayings, “Do what you love” and “Follow your passions,” but that is not always as simple as it sounds. There are those people who knew at ten years old they wanted to make a difference in the lives of children or help people become healthier, or seek justice for others, or reduce poverty in the world. However, there are those of us who didn’t know back then what our calling was.

Many of us still ask ourselves, “What am I supposed to do with my life?” For us, the answer may develop over time. We can have several different callings, some large and some small.

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The degree to which you listen to and act on your callings determines how satisfied you are with your life.

But, what if you don’t know what that calling is? What can you do?

Here are three steps to help you figure out what you are called to do~

1. Ask yourself some questions:

• If money was not an issue, what would you do with your time?
• What gives you energy?
• What do you love to do?
• What do you want to change, shape, and leave better than you found it?
• What do you want to learn?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?

Answer these on paper and take notice of any patterns. You may be surprised by what you see.

Notice what captivates and excites you. Take an inventory of your life, and recall experiences that made you feel alive. Write these down, perhaps in a journal. You can also ask relatives, friends, and mentors what they notice about your passions and callings.  Sometimes others see us better than we see ourselves. After taking notes, your purpose may be illuminated right there on your paper!

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“If God gives you something you can do, why in God’s name wouldn’t you do it?”

Stephen King

“But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

 Exodus 9:16

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2. Use online tools.

There are many beneficial resources to assist you if you are stumped about your gifts and strengths. I have gathered the ones I found to be most useful for you (many of which I have used):

• Spiritual Gifts Assessment- A spiritual gift is an expression of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers which empowers them to serve the body of Christ, the church. These are valuable tools to help you discover your gifts. Here are two examples:

1. https://gifts.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi?intro=1
2. http://www.spiritualgiftstest.com/test/adult

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• Personality Test- A personality test is a questionnaire or other standardized instrument designed to reveal aspects of an individual’s character or psychological makeup. Here are two examples:

1. https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
2. http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp

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• Enneagram- Enneagram is a model of human personality which is principally understood and taught as a typology of nine interconnected personality types. There is so much information available on this; however, I am providing one source.

1. https://www.eclecticenergies.com/enneagram/test.php

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• Upstream Field Guide- This a self-study class that shows you, step-by-step, how to find your life’s core purpose—and then to order your life in a way that’s unmistakably “you.” I took this course and found it to be invaluable! Highly recommend! Find it here.

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“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

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3. Use a one-on-one service

Hire a Life Coach. A Life Coach is a person who counsels and encourages clients on matters having to do with careers or personal challenges. Life Coaching is a professional service that helps individuals to move forward in any area of their lives.  The best recommendation I can give for a life coach is a friend and mentor of mine, Patti. She is gifted in her calling and incredibly wise. Patti’s desire is that you would live your life with intention, purpose, and passion. You can find her website here: patticmarshall.com  She will work one-on-one with you and can even do it remotely, so you don’t have to be local to utilize her services.

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“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”

Eleanor Roosevelt

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What do you do after you have asked yourself questions, used online resources, and perhaps used a one-on-one service? You take action!!! Take what you have discovered about yourself and figure out a plan to move towards your purpose.

Make your dreams become a reality.

Pursue your calling and step into what God has for you. You will not be disappointed! I hope you found this to be helpful if you are struggling with what to do with your life. Knowing your purpose leads to fulfillment and joy.

Blessings and love,

Natalie xo

~If you know someone else who is struggling to find his/her purpose, please share this post 🙂