Having a sense of purpose in life is associated with a range of qualities, including being more successful and living a happier life. In fact, research published in the JAMA Network Open finds that having a strong sense of purpose in life leads to improvements in both physical and mental health, and it enhances one’s overall quality of life. If there’s one goal people set for the new year, it’s a good idea to make it “finding your purpose”.
“There are so many great benefits of finding and living your life’s purpose,” explains Katie Sandler, personal development and career coach. “The problem is that many people are not quite sure how to do that. They feel lost in trying to discover what their purpose is. All of that can change this year.”
This year, Sandler is recommending that people make it their top goal to discover what their purpose is and to live with purpose. Once they do that, they will not only have the health benefits that come, but they will succeed in living the life they want. Their overall life satisfaction and happiness level will increase as well.
Finding one’s life purpose isn’t something that most people do overnight. It’s a process of self-exploration that takes time and patience. The key is to create a long-term plan for your life that will help you to more fully enjoy each day.
Here are some tips to help you do just that:
Get to know yourself. To do this, you have to do some exploration and ask some questions. What is it that you like, what makes you happy, what do you not like? Narrow down those things that you feel passionate about.
Work with someone. Many people turn to others for help in order to discover their purpose. You can do this by asking other people what their thoughts are on what your gifts are for the world and what your strengths are. You can also do this by working with a life coach, who can help you tap into your purpose and show you how to harness the power of it.
Become more mindful. Being mindful is a great way to help live life with awareness and self-awareness. It’s also a key component to helping you achieve goals. And ultimately, it enables you to enjoy life and all that it has to offer.
Make the commitment. Rather than just saying this will be the year of finding and living your purpose, really commit to it. Ask yourself, on a scale of 1-10, how important is it for you to find your purpose? If it’s below a six, don’t bother. But if it’s above a six, create a plan of action in order to find—be it working with a coach, or finding a self-help program. Make sure you follow through!
Be patient. Transformation such as this doesn’t happen overnight; it’s going to take time. Be gentle with yourself, go with the flow, and keep yourself on track. Little efforts here and there will add up along the way to big results. Believe in yourself.
Katie Sandler is a popular impact and private wellness coach. To learn more about Katie or her services, visit the site: https://katiesandler.com/.
Source: JAMA Network Open. Association Between Life Purpose and Mortality Among US Adults Older Than 50 Years. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2734064
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