If you ask me what I came to do in this world, I, an artist,
will answer you: I am here to live out loud. ― Émile Zola
I believe that we came here for a reason. I believe each of us has a unique purpose to fulfill, to raise our conscious awareness and that of others. And while this can feel rather overwhelming, I believe that that purpose is so gracefully guided to us by the Universe, that we may be doing it already, without even thinking about it! Those of us who are in this place are lucky! Perhaps it feels as though life guided you to where you are, and you feel deeply fulfilled and blessed to be doing what you are doing, most of the time.
There are also those of us who have not yet found who we are meant to be in the world just yet. We’ve tried different things, and it just feels as though something is “missing.” This often leads to seeking or soothing outside of ourselves.
Perhaps we start another new business, accumulate side jobs, over-exercise, overeat, jump from one relationship to the next when what we are looking for can only be answered from within. Being in this seeking place is painful and uncomfortable, but it’s GOOD! It means that we are awake enough to know that something is not right; that we are in need of a shift. And if we begin to listen to this inner guidance, gradually, shift by shift, our path becomes clear.
My sensitive nature, along with a sincere desire to understand the people in the world around me, leads me to study Psychology as an undergraduate.
Although there was a primary focus on the mind, it was there when I began to understand just how important the health of the body was to total wellness, which led me to study Clinical Health Psychology as a graduate program. It was here that I came back to the understanding that human begins are so much more than a body, and how we care for our minds, thoughts, and feelings is equally, if not more important, depending on where we are at in our lives. Life also blessed me with the practice of Yoga and my first Teacher at that time, and it was a significant contributor to this shift in my perception, as well as the importance of community, and cultivating and trusting intuition.
It was the accumulated lessons that the Universe had offered me thus far, that allowed me to say “no” to a six-year goal of entering into a Doctoral program, to end an eight-year relationship, and to be brave enough to move across the country alone for my first post-graduate job in corporate America.
It was during my training there that I was given the gift of going through a program that systematically guides you to clarify your purpose in life and to craft realistic action steps to working toward that aspiration. It was through learning and teaching this program that I became aware of the misalignment that career was for my True Nature.
So, I left my corporate job, finished my 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training, and completed a year-long program to attain a Health Coaching Certification. I opened my own business, and I currently teach yoga part-time and see clients part-time. I do something that works in harmony with my True Nature, that boosts rather than depletes my energy, and most importantly, that feels like I am contributing to our world in a profoundly meaningful way.
What is important to know is that while, in the throws of each of these experiences, I felt like I was going through challenges, obstacles, and heartbreak. There were and still are times that my focus narrows, and I feel like a victim to my circumstances. But what I’ve learned is that surrender and trust, rather than control and force, allows the Source to step in and present me with the next phase of the path.
Meaningful Reflection
As you build this practice into your life, it becomes easier with each wholehearted application. And when you continue to show up, trust and listen, the Universe offers the tremendous gift of meaningful reflection on why you’ve been where you’ve been, what lessons needed to be learned, and how you can step into your light and purpose even more fully as a result. You can walk the path that was Divinely designed, just for you in this lifetime.
Now I realize that my path is learning. I awaken to my life’s calling through learning. It started with my love of school as a child. It continued as a love for my classes in college and graduate school. It continued further through my training in my corporate job, and through my certification programs after that. And it will likely continue for the rest of my life.
Take These 2 Steps to Identify Your True Path
STEP 1
KNOW WHO YOU ARE: I am a student; Who are you? Not the many roles you play in society, but at your core, what is your True Nature?
STEP 2
How can you take YOUR life’s learnings, your experiences, and your understanding of why they were placed in your life, and then offer them back; how can you share them with the world in a way that contributes to the collective Highest Good?
What I’ve learned is that not everyone loves learning as much as I do. Not everyone desires to take on multiple training programs. But many want that deeper understanding of who they are and how they can live a life of deep meaning and purpose.
Part of my duty is to take the learning and offer it back in a way that meets people where they are at, and encourages them to take one step further on their path to awakening; to remove one more veil, or block, and to see their Divine purpose more clearly.
That is my wish and offering for this post; I hope it serves you well; Namaste.