A Sense Of Purpose

One of the pillars of well-being is having a sense of purpose.  What does this mean?  I suppose it can mean different things to different people so all I can do is share one thing that gives me a sense of purpose.  Most of my life I felt very ordinary and average.  I was mature and dependable, if sometimes naïve, but rarely felt like I was making a difference to anything.  I think many people feel like this when they are young and in the early stages of their life.  When I began my 50’s I began to see myself differently.  I started to realize that although I wasn’t better than anyone else, I was my own unique self.  My personality traits, my life experiences, my education, and my inner drives began to work together to form the person that I am today.  I started to be more assertive and passionate about my values and beliefs.  I discovered that I have a gift for writing and communication.  I started sharing the experiences of my life and the thoughts that came to me in moments of contemplation.  I became less afraid to share who I am and what I think and feel.  People began to tell me that my worldview inspired them, gave them hope, and comforted them.  I began to realize that I might be what some would call a “Universal Man”.  By that I mean that I seemed able to articulate thoughts and feelings that many people have within themselves but are either afraid to voice or perhaps cannot find a way to express themselves.  Some people have accused me of reading their minds and hearts.  I don’t know how I know what I know or how I am able to tap into universal feelings.  Writing just comes natural to me.  All of this has given me a sense of purpose.  I know I make a difference in some people’s lives.  I still see myself as an average guy but certainly not as a guy without worth.  I know my worth and I know my purpose.  How that purpose will play itself out for the rest of my life is a mystery I look forward to unraveling.  Of course, within the workplace,  I still have basic, sometimes mundane, responsibilities that need to be completed and goals that need to be attained.  Purpose and goals are not always the same thing but they can be weaved together.  My reality is that I discovered my sense of purpose primarily within the workplace.  It is mostly through the encouragement and support of co-workers that I have been able to see my gift and sense of purpose