Have you found your purpose in life?

Dawnshade

Curious if anyone feels they’ve found their purpose or passion, or if they feel a sense of purpose to their life. Or if you havent why do you think that is.

LadySybilVimes

I don’t know that I have. Before I had children I worked all the time, was always trying to learn more and be better at it, liked getting promotions and positive feedback, but I would have been the same in any job. It wasn’t a vocation. After children, I think getting them to adulthood happy and productive is my main purpose in life, as 1950s as that might sound.

If I was left to my own devices, my ideal life would be to sit in a room surrounded by books and just read all day and night.

SeaStar

LadySybilVimes After children, I think getting them to adulthood happy and productive is my main purpose in life, as 1950s as that might sound

Yes.

wannabefree

Well… I’ve been on an instructor led course to uncover my purpose and live my life and my job to my values and purpose so I guess I have 😅

CallMeAl

wannabefree

And what was it?

Heyho2

Hmmm. Not really. I waiver between I exist, so let’s enjoy it, and what’s the point of it all, existence is suffering. However… I have become quite good at my job and I find it much more enjoyable now and it is one that makes for a healthier community, so that helps alleviate the existential angst most of the time now.

squeekums

no, there was no way i could become a WWE wrestler

i enjoy my job, customer service but its not a passion or career, just a job

i have no desire to be some community godmother or whatever. I am happy just going about my life

Dawnshade

I’ve been looking for something meaningful to do with my life, although working full-time, running a household and looking after my DD should be enough. In the past I’ve done volunteer work with animal rescues, so have thought about doing that again.

A girlfriend said to me ’why do women keep volunteering for more work! You dont see men using their leisure time caring for others, they’d be playing golf or at the pub with mates’. While I do think she was making some big generalisations, its true that all the rescues I worked with were owned by women, and all the members of these group were women, the only men involved were reluctant husbands of the women. I also thought about her point, when Im already exhausted with day to day life, why do I effectively want to take on more labour…

Found this while trying to understand my desire to volunteer and found it interesting.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/hbr.org/amp/2018/07/why-women-volunteer-for-tasks-that-dont-lead-to-promotions

squeekums

Dawnshade A girlfriend said to me ’why do women keep volunteering for more work! You dont see men using their leisure time caring for others, they’d be playing golf or at the pub with mates’

so true

and in all honesty, its what i do, why should i default to more work cos im female, stuff that leisure comes first for us

Heyho2

Dawnshade

It doesn’t necessarily have to be volunteering does it? It could even just be thinking about the kind of community you want to live in and make small changes. I feel better when I’m focussed out rather than in, so thinking how i can make someone else’s day a little easier works for me. Eg. Something I see that makes me smile is the lemons put out to share from their tree. Could be a small thing?

Crombek

I don’t believe that people have a particular purpose in life, we are just really clever animals who happened to build ourselves a civilisation. So no I haven’t found it. If you mean have I found something that fulfils me then I’m pretty sure it’s reading a book next to a swim up bar in a never raining child free resort.

Crombek

Giphy - Purpose GIF by chuber channel

Also this.

CallMeAl

Since my career change I think I’ve found my ‘calling’, and my life feels more meaningful since then. My children also give my life meaning.

Not sure about a ‘purpose’ though - I don’t think I have that. I think of purpose as being some bigger cause or something, but it also seems like a really cumbersome thing to have to find. Like the pressure to have a good time on new year or something, but bigger. So no, I don’t think I have found my purpose. But on average (if not today), I have meaning in my life, and that’s sufficient for now.

Heyho2

CallMeAl

I think the word ‘meaning’ resonates more for me too.

wannabefree

CallMeAl

Making a difference.

Going by other responses, the way others interpret this is something very specific, a job or a hobby or a label. Thats not how it was defined for us. Its an overarching principle.

I haven’t read it but I’ve heard the Simon Sinek book, Start With Why, is a good one to help discover your purpose.

RichardParker

I’ve just signed up to do this course from the Independent School of Philosophy. I don’t think I have a calling, as such, but I feel compelled to try and make the most of the life and opportunities I’ve been given.

“How does a Human Being become Excellent?”: Aristotle on Education (Aristotle’s “Politics” Books 7-8 and selections from the “Poetics”).

AprilEthereal

RichardParker

In 2003 I undertook a 12 week philosophy course. It was very interesting. I hope you enjoy yours.

I think my purpose is to be of service and I’m okay with that. In a previous life, I had a career in social welfare work. I was a case worker for families and at one point a children’s support worker. That was so rewarding. Helping children find their power was amazing. Service also extends to my whole life, my family and friends. Community.

I enjoy being part of something for the greater good. I have a team oriented attitude and approach to my work and to life really. These days I work essentially in retail, but in an industry I love. I take pride in my customer service skills. I also focus on building relationships with customers and colleagues.

I also have my own business, which is a B & B. I love it.

I feel as though there is a push for me to extend beyond that though, an urge and a calling to step into my own power but I have shied away from anything like that and tbh, I don’t know what it would look like? What form would it take? I’m not sure.

Gum-boots

No. Not sure I ever will to be honest. I work to pay the bills. I try to be a good citizen. But I don’t have a passion or contribute anything more than the average person. I do know however that I’m the world to my kids.

IcyPole

No. No idea what my purpose in life is. Don’t really care either. I’m just trying to put one foot in front of the other day by day.

Moo

I think there have been periods in my life where I had a purpose but life has gotten in the way and I can’t see a way out of where I am to find myself again.

Heyho2

Moo

Hope you find your way moo.