Please answer without thinking: "I want____________________, now." Sometimes this is easy because you just know. Perhaps for others it is not so easy, because you may feel you have all you need. But need is different than want. Want is about passion; it is all about what gives you joy, and what makes time stand still for you. It is being in the present moment, and feeling wonder, awe, or a natural high. A spark of creativity or inspiration.
For many it's about feeling purposeful. Having a soul or life purpose that ignites an internal flame within. Three separate instances happened this week which I believe were synchronistic - not a coincidence, but a meaningful message to get my attention.
The first came from my son, Nick. He is in the process of creating a website to host a blog he feels excited about. His passion is advocacy and energy healing for young adults with special needs. His natural gifts are writing, the ability to intuit ingenious ideas, and the courage to make it happen! Since he started combining his passion with his natural gifts, I have witnessed a major shift in his confidence and energy to focus on his vision. He is much happier since he is living his purpose.
The second instance, came from a mom of a teen on the cusp of becoming a young adult with autism. She was wondering if she should have him continue on with school till age 21. I asked her, "What is his passion?" Without hesitation, and a sparkle in her voice, she answered, "Dance. He's been dancing all his life." Then I asked, "What are his natural gifts?" She told me, "He's so social; he makes friends easily, and loves being with his friends." I asked her if she could imagine how her son can combine his passion for dance with his easy ability to inspire and motivate people....she immediately started coming up with wonderful ideas!
The third synchronistic moment happened with a friend who is formulating a new business in her mind: Her passion is plants, biopharma and healing. Her gifts are managerial, leadership, and project development. She began to explore how she can become the "director" to combine her love and innate gifts to make a meaningful difference in our world; especially for people with special needs. Such an exciting time for she is bubbling with the feelings of a "natural high."
So what does this mean for YOU? Having a purpose by guiding and teaching others was the way for me to be happy. But seeing the joy from the spark of beginning creations in the minds of three people this week made me think about that spark in the initial stages of love; infatuation. We all know and love that feeling...but unfortunately that beginning stage of rushing biochemicals in our brains is temporary for it definitely settles down; as it should.
But purpose is a different kind of rush and it definitely does stay, and sometimes for a lifetime. It can change and tweak over time, adding and subtracting, evolving into something even more OMG than you ever dreamed possible. I believe this is what helps us through the tough, challenging times for having a purpose to get up in the morning keeps us out of our own way of sabotage or destruction.
I witnessed this with my Dad. He lived his purpose by inspiring the love of theater to kids for 50 years. In doing so, he raised their self esteem and changed many of their lives for decades to come. He stopped at the age of 80. Who does this? A person who combines their Passion + Gifts to live their life purpose.
Debra Taubenslag, Author
No Stone Unturned: How My Special Needs Child and I Transformed Against All Odds
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