Need Help With Your Purpose, Or What to Do Next?

Try this simple exercise. Learn to be still and know what’s next.

If you feel stuck, get ready to launch into higher gear.

By the end of this article, you’ll know a simple process you can use to know who you are based on your unique abilities, gifts, interests, and passions.

Why We Get Stuck

Here’s the source of the problem when we feel stuck.

We get stuck because we don’t know who we are. If we don’t know who we are, we can’t know what we want. If we don’t know what we want, we can’t know what to do.

There’s only one you in the universe. Once you know why you get stuck, you can use the process I’m giving you to reinvent yourself.

Here’s what holds us back.

1. You can’t get what you want if you don’t know who you are.
2. One way to know who you are is to block time daily to “work on yourself.” If you won’t work on improving yourself, who will?
3. You’ll have more clarity and confidence about what you want when you know yourself better.
4. Once you know what you want, you can set goals and list activities.
5. Once you know what to do, it’s up to you to stay committed and do the work. The only way to stay committed is to be empowered by your purpose. If you feel like you’re on fire, you’ll never stop doing what you must to adapt. You’ll constantly work on knowing and improving yourself.
6. When you learn how to be still, see, know, and trust that you are being your authentic self, and you know what you want, and a power greater than you will do the heavy lifting if you trust what’s in your heart.

Be Aware of Your Energy and the Energy Around You

Shifting your awareness into higher gear is essential. If you agree, we have a moral obligation to improve ourselves; you will be intentional about improving your awareness.

If you don’t believe you’re aware, at least you’re aware of that. Start where you are.

The first suggestion is to become aware of the people, places, and things that give you energy or take it away. If you don’t think you’re aware enough, at least you’re aware of that.

Learn to eliminate anything that sucks the life force out of you. Why waste your precious time and energy on people, places, or things that suck?

End the suck by improving your self-awareness.

Humans Being Human, Oh My

When was the last time you hung out with a friend or walked into a room, and there was a noticeable feeling within you that you were losing energy?

It was as if you could feel one big suck of your energy. When you left, you felt relieved. Then, it took a while to get your energy back.

In contrast, think of the positive energy, the lift you feel, when you spend time with someone or something you love. For example, it might be your life partner or spouse, a child, a best friend who’s like family, or a brother or sister who’s from a different mother or father.

You love them. They love you. When together, you feel positive energy like joy, bliss, and maybe even ecstasy.

When you become more self-aware and learn to take time to work on yourself, you’ll become more aware of how the energy of people, places, and things affects you. Fill yourself, surround yourself with positive things, and you’ll become more positive by being whom you seek to be.

Socrates — Know Thy True Self

It’s been said that an unexamined life isn’t worth squat. We can thank the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates for this:

“An unexamined life is not worth living.”

Socrates believed that a life without critical self-reflection and questioning was not fully realized and that examining one’s beliefs, values, and actions was essential for a virtuous and fulfilling life.

This phrase highlights the importance of self-reflection and the pursuit of wisdom and truth.

The question is, “Can you slow down, stop doing so much and being who you’re not, long enough to sit still with a journal and ask yourself some simple questions, then listen, wait, and get the direction you need from within yourself? Could you do this every day for at least a few minutes?”

Search Inside Yourself

If you don’t block time daily to “work on yourself,” I suggest it’s time to start. Who will if you don’t work on self-reflection, prayer, healing, and being still?

One of the best ways to search inside yourself is by journaling. Block time for yourself, sit, be still, and contemplate your feelings and thoughts. Take notes, and observe what it is. Observe.

Christians call this a form of contemplation. Buddhists and Hindus refer to it as meditation which we can learn to do when walking, sitting, or hanging out on a bench in public. Find your way, truth, and life searching within.

Searching within is a form of knowing yourself better. Writing is a high form of critical thinking and self-reflection. Journaling can be fun. It’s a phenomenal way of self-reflecting and organizing your feelings into clarity and direction you can trust and follow.

Ask, Listen, Be Patient, and Know

Here’s a simple process you can use to know and improve yourself. If you don’t know much about what’s next, fear not!

Sit in a comfortable place. Do your best to be uninterrupted. Use a journal if you have one. You might read something spiritual, listen to calming music, and set the tone of your room.

You could also learn to do this sitting on a plane, bus, or train in the middle of the general public.

Ask these questions, be still, patient, listen, and journal.

1. What are my unique abilities and gifts??There’s only one you in the universe. Reflect on what makes you unique. Take notes. Revisit them, and contemplate.
2. Based on my gifts, how am I to share them in my home, place of work, community, and the world??If you know what it feels like to give a gift and make someone feel joy, focus on that feeling and pray for direction.
3. What interests me the most??Think about what kinds of people, places, and things give you energy. For example, when you begin to feel excited or energized by anything, take note of it and ask yourself why.
4. What are my passions??Think about the things you’re most passionate about and why. Write them down and keep them top of mind.
5. What work would I do for free (work) that fires me up day and night??The answer will give clues about what you can do for part or full-time work that moves you in a positive direction from where you are. If you don’t need the money, even better.
6. Who can I build relationships with so I feel more connected??Relationships matter. Get some! Meet new people. Join groups and win new friends and influence people in positive ways. Find people who are suffering and serve them. Being in service always leads us to better things, including knowing more about who we are.
7. How can I know what I’m thinking or feeling is right??You will feel a sense of inner energy or motivation and understand with time, patience, and practice. You will have an inherent knowing, and it will be strong. If you’ve ever experienced “love at first sight,” remember that feeling.
8. How can I be more patient??Patience is a virtue for a good reason! Wait. Ask for guidance on everything, including how to be more patient. Be still, wait, and know when you know from within or you get signs that you can trust to move forward.

In summary, the process is one you can practice daily, as often as you’d like. Ask, wait, and receive messages that give you clarity and confidence to proceed. Then, take action.

Being Like Terry Hamlin

One of my dearest friends is a pastor named Terry Hamlin. He taught me years ago how he knows what to do next.

His formula is simple. When he has a new idea or feels stuck about any decision, he prays and waits for a crystal clear inner direction.

Terry waits through his not knowing, having complete faith that the God of his understanding will show him the way. Terry loves Jesus and devotes his life to serving others.

Terry’s never too sad, glad, or mad. He’s right in the middle living a life of service, which makes all the difference.

Terry knows himself and whom he loves more than anything else. As a result, Terry is loved by many, and he will leave a legacy worth remembering.

May you live a rich, healthy, happy, and long life by knowing yourself and your purpose.

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This article was originally published on Medium. Thanks for reading my article and sharing or commenting if you feel compelled. Sign up for my growing community and get my newest articles by email. Check out my latest e-book if you’re ready to reinvent yourself mindfully. Get your copy of?How to Mindfully Reinvent Yourself: A Do-It-Yourself Life Planning Guide?today.