WHAT IS YOUR LIFE PURPOSE?

Did you ever think about your life purpose? Actually finding your life purpose is not as difficult as it seems. You come to this world with your life purpose. You have always had it! Since you were born, you have your life purpose. You don't have to make meditation and yoga or climb mountains and find a guru to tell you what your life purpose is.

Your life purpose is your talents. Look, I said “talents” because, believe it or not, you have more than one talent. You have actually many many talents! When I was a child, my biggest purpose was to become a ballerina. But life took me on another path. I lost my chance with one little illness, then I started my life from scratch!

It wasn't easy to find my own other talents, I was too young. But the moment I asked myself “what now?” I knew I had to find the other gifts in me! First I noticed people always laugh at my jokes. I found the humorist inside my heart! Then I noticed that I am able to write, that led me to become a journalist. When for the first time I took a camera in my hand, I didn't know actually I was gifted about photo-journalism. I was a talkative girl, I became a radio host; believe it or not, I have the capability of talking by myself. Well, what do you think radio hosts do? They are in front of a microphone, talking by their selves! Then I thought “if I am a radio host, then I can become a dubbing artist!” I loved songs, I was always speaking about them, then I became a music critic, then after that a publication director for a music magazine.

The key factor of finding your life purposes is self discovery!

I know we are not all lucky to be born in wonderful families that help us to express our talents at such early ages. However, if you know yourself, you will start noticing about your talents. I always say, for self discovery, you need a huge self confidence! This is so important. Because if you don't have a strong self confidence, you cannot believe that you can succeed in life. Even your dreams become shallow!

Terrible families always compare their children with other people's children. For them, other people's children are like the grass on the other side of the fence, it is always much greener! Other people's children are capable of doing everything, but you are not. They are much smarter than you, better than you, more gifted than you, you are just a piece of junk! For the future, when you grow old, you will take the flag from your family's hand and you will start your self criticism. You will compare yourself with other people and you will never find yourself good enough.

According to my previous article “The Key of Happiness”, you have to learn how to stand alone! I know, it is hard to stand up and walk. You might have many burdens on your shoulders. You don't have to believe what people say about you. People don't want you to succeed. That's why most people try to take you down. Even if you have super ideas, they will think you are not capable for this thing. My advice to you, do not ever tell what your next step is! Let them watch the show!

Self discovery needs some trial and error! You cannot find your gifts in a night or in a deep meditation, I am not even mentioning daydreaming! Until taking the camera in my hand, I didn't know I can take good pictures. The capability of photo-journalism is to catch moving objects! Most of the time, you have to take photos while running! My time, we didn't have digital cameras! We were doing all the settings manually!

The key factor in here is that you have to try!

You should discipline yourself, never say “I don't know how to do”, you should say “I can do it!” I know the sound is a bit wacky, but you need some ignorant courage! Okay I will tell you one anecdote from my life, if my former coordinator reads this, he will get shocked! :

I was around 23 years old and working for Playboy Magazine, Turkey. By the way, I became Turkey's first Playboy Magazine woman copy editor later on! Well let's continue! Our office boy wasn't around and my coordinator said “Can you please go to the storage and bring a package of A4” I had no idea about A4! I was sure it is not something like “F-16”! But I never told him that I had no idea what “A4” was. I also didn't offer him to send someone who knows what A4 is. I started walking to the storage, I was wondering if it is so heavy, if it is so big! But one thing I knew, I will ask there the first person I see!

When I went to the storage, there was a guy on charge and I told him “I need one package of A4”. He slowly moved and gave me a small package, it was familiar to me, but well, I came back to our office, they opened the package, it was just plain paper, you know, you use it in your every day life for printing things! They put it into the printer! I didn't know, I didn't say anything, they didn't understand that I didn't know that very basic thing's name.

The key factor in here, if it is possible, do not ever say “I don't know”, LEARN!

Well, you know now, you don't have to go to India, ask people or beg God for the sign! God sent you with many many gifts in you. Just open the package and see what is there! If you don't try, you will never know! Your life purpose has no age limit as well. Try languages, try singing, try acting, try writing, try taking pictures, try painting, try programming, try teaching, try dancing, without trying, these gifts will go to the grave with you!

Victoria Toumit