A Sense of Purpose

There's a new chair in my office. Sitting at my desk, ready for me to use it when I get back to work.

I put it together myself.

Granted, it was only about 12 pieces and 10 screws, so not that complicated.

But I was pretty darn proud when I finished it.

You see, I'm not very mechanically inclined.

I'm a writer and a thinker and great with spreadsheets and data.

But when it comes to building stuff, forget about it.

I have this mental block in my head that sometimes prevents me from even trying.

It's interesting how that works in life. We all have unique talents and abilities that we bring to the world.

Each of us different, but each valuable in our own way.

This month, I've had a series of mechanical issues around my house.

Issues that ranged from a plumbing problem that prevented my new washer/dryer from being used, to a vent fan that needed replacing and then a garbage disposal that was rusted out and leaking.

They were too far out of my comfort zone for me to attempt fixing.

I had to reach out and ask for help, even though it's hard for me to do, even though I didn't want to inconvenience the people around me.

And you know what? They willingly came to help me. No questions asked.

It made me realize that we don't have to know how to fix everything ourselves.

And it's time to stop feeling that way.

So many of us grew up with the belief that things won't get done right if we don't do them ourselves. Or that we're asking too much if we reach out to others.

But that's so not true.

Most of the time, people actually like to help. We are wired as human beings to seek connection with others and to feel like a valuable member of a team.

Being able to help others by doing things that we are good at gives us a sense of purpose.

This past year (and even still) the events in our world have prevented many people from feeling purposeful.

That feeling of being valuable or useful is harder to get when you aren't working, or you can't leave your home.

We're being forced to find ways to look within ourselves to see that purpose instead of getting validation from others or the external world.

And that's not easy.

For me, my job always made me feel purposeful. Without it, I've had to change the way I think about what I add to the world.

Now it's things like building that chair, writing my blog, publishing my book, and knowing that I'm giving my boys the best home I possibly can, that make me feel purposeful.

I know some of you who are reading this may feel that you have lost your sense of purpose.

I challenge you to flip your perspective.

You may have lost that thing that made you feel purposeful before.

But what can you do differently now that gives you a new sense of purpose?

It may not look the same, but it can make you feel the same.

It may not be one big thing anymore.

It might be a collection of little things now.

And often it's the little things that add up to a very meaningful, purposeful life.