Purpose
Photography by Danielle Ann Rose @bydanielleannrose
When we talk about purpose, you might think about your job, your hobbies, your religious and spiritual beliefs or even your family. Everyone’s purpose is unique, so whatever it is that gets you out of bed in the morning and motivates you through life, I want you to embrace it and be proud of it
Your priorities and life decisions are your own and you get to choose what they are, even if they change multiple times over the course of your life, that’s okay and perfectly normal. Yes, some people know exactly what they want to do from a young age and dedicate their whole lives to that one thing and that’s really beautiful, but that doesn’t have to be the case for everyone. Others will find that their purpose changes with them, as they grow and experience the many different stages of life
As new opportunities emerge, your purpose can change and evolve, creating growth within all areas of your life. These physical, mental and emotional changes might feel challenging at first, but as long as you remain open to what’s possible, you could end up exceeding your expectations of yourself and what you believed your life had the potential to become
“Finding your purpose” can sound like this big daunting task, that feels scary and overwhelming, when we perceive purpose as something we have to go out and find, it makes sense that we’d rather just settle for a job that pays our bills, instead of pursuing something that actually lights us up but here’s the thing, we don’t find ourselves, we create ourselves, your purpose is already within you, it’s who you are
Listen to your heart and pay attention to what your values and motivations are in life, as you grow older it’ll become clearer because you’ll have a better understanding of who you truly are. Don’t rush to figure it all out, trust the process and focus on discovering You
In school they make us feel like we should already know what we want to do and that we’re supposed to keep doing that one thing for our entire lives, but that’s not the case. It’s dangerously limiting to think we can only have one passion, job or career, you’re allowed to try new things and change your mind, dabbling in different hobbies and skills is such a wonderful thing that I encourage everyone to do, you might be surprised by what you enjoy
If we really are going to spend most of our lives working, we may as well spend that time doing something we love, instead of something that just pays the bills and wastes our days. Do something that benefits you or others in a more fulfilling and purposeful way
Saying yes to one thing doesn’t mean saying no to another, I believe passion projects are amazing for keeping us inspired and excited, so don’t be afraid to try more than one. When making a decision about what you might want to spend your days doing, whether that be for money or fun, choose something that feels aligned with who you are and what you love, give it your all and if it doesn’t end up being for you, that’s okay. Change direction, try something else and eventually you’ll come across something that lights you up. Give yourself the time to get to know who you really are and what type of impact you want to make on this world
Time is going to pass by regardless, so you may as well spend it creating a life you truly enjoy. Choose a career that gives you job satisfaction, work for companies you are proud to stand beside and find hobbies that make you feel alive, whatever it is you do, do it with intention. Life is far too short for anything less
For 7 years I was a flight attendant, this career choice was one I decided on when I was only 15 and was so committed to doing. I studied many different things in the years leading up to being 18 while waiting to be old enough to apply and wanting to set myself up for the best rèsumè I possibly could. I finally got my dream job at 19, it truly felt like my life was playing out, exactly as it was meant to. I loved being a flight attendant more than I could ever tell you and I am so incredibly proud of the many milestones I achieved throughout my career. Although it felt deeply difficult to walk away from, I knew being a flight attendant wasn’t my “purpose” in life so at 26 I chose something else, or should I say - something else chose me
Up until then, I had never known what else I might do. I had no interest in going to university and I couldn’t imagine ever wanting to stop flying. Then, on the 25th of June 2021, I woke up from an incredibly vivid dream, where I saw myself supporting others, in a role I translated to being that of a therapist or counsellor. I could feel the genuine fulfilment this dream version of me had and I woke up filled with so many emotions and a passionate, driven feeling in my heart. I felt so strongly about it and from that morning onwards I knew what my purpose was
I had always known I enjoyed helping others and that I wanted to have a positive impact on the world, but it wasn’t until I had that dream that I felt an active pull to pursue it as a career path and to learn as much as I possibly could in order to do so. By that point, I had already started creating Embracing Gemini but had not launched yet, so pairing the excitement of that with my new career path, I felt more aligned than ever
I feel so passionate and excited to follow this new direction and see where it takes me. It feels so incredibly aligned that I cannot believe I had never thought of it before, but the thing is, I wasn’t the person I am now, before. It’s taken me time to grow up into the woman I am today, I built up this body and mind to carry the types of conversations I’m having and the emotional maturity to hold space for others. I’ve done so much self-development and learned so many life lessons over the years that I now understand my own potential, I have the confidence to know I actually can do anything I put my mind to, and I’m going to
I wouldn’t have understood or believed that a few years ago, everything that’s happened to me, leading up to this point was for a reason. That’s so clear to me now that I’m drawing on those experiences to help others. If I went straight into studying something like this fresh out of school, I can guarantee I would not have cared about the content as much as I do now and I wouldn’t have wanted to study properly or give the attention required to actually learn and succeed
What this has taught me so far is that it’s completely okay to change direction in life, as sentimental as I am, I’m finding it exciting to let go and try something new. Staying in the same place for a long period of time can begin to feel like we don’t have the ability to go anywhere else, but the truth is, we do
I may remain in this new career for the rest of my life feeling empowered and fulfilled or I may change my mind and choose something new again, either outcome is okay with me. As long as I’m not remaining somewhere I don’t wish to be, wasting my time and potential on something I no longer feel passionate about
We should never be afraid to try something new or shift our interests. What would you prefer? Embracing the discomfort of the unknown and seeing how it turns out or staying exactly where you are, never knowing what else is out there?
I guess the answer will be different for everyone, so whatever it is that you choose, I hope you find peace there and live a beautiful life of purpose
If you aren’t sure of your direction in life, what job you want to do, what hobbies you should try or what your purpose could be, ask yourself these questions:
If I kept doing what I’m doing now, would I still be happy in 5-10 years?
What am I doing when I feel the most myself?
Does my current job feel fulfilling to me?
Am I proud of what I do?
What hobbies do I enjoy doing most?
Can I turn any of them into a business or career?
If I could do anything in the world, what would I choose?
What are my top priorities and values in life?
Does my current lifestyle reflect that?
If the answer is no, what changes do I need to make?
If the answer is yes, what slight changes could I make to keep me on track?
What can I talk about effortlessly and endlessly?
Can I turn any of that into a business or career?
When I look at my favourite people/idols, can I envision myself doing what they are doing?
Is that something I may want to pursue?
What could I achieve if I gave 100% to what I’m currently doing?
Do I want that?
What is something I enjoy doing so much that I can easily lose track of time?
What does my dream life look like?
Does my current reality reflect that?
If the answer is no, what changes do I need to make?
If the answer is yes, what slight changes could I make to keep me on track?
Hopefully, these questions give you an idea of whether or not you’d like to keep pursuing what you’re currently doing or if you’d enjoy trying something different. I recommend journalling and reflecting on your answers and seeing where your thoughts take you, sometimes a simple question can greatly shift your perspective and lead you to incredible realisations
It’s up to you to pursue your true purpose in life, with commitment and intention you can create a life you are truly proud of, so never settle for anything less than what your heart is calling you towards. Whatever you want to be, you are ready for, it’s just about choosing and taking the first steps toward it. Put faith in yourself and go all in
The joy of being
That is what a job should be
An expression of self, as we go through life
Exploring different avenues and experiencing new places
Remaining in the pursuit of purpose
