Making Purpose Part of Life 2

 

• “If you feel like there is something out there that you are supposed to be doing if you have a passion for it,
  

  then stop wishing and just do it.” — Wanda Sykes
• Now that you are ready to live a life of purpose, you are passionate and filled with the energy to take the next big step. But hold on. Take a deep breath before you jump to keep from getting overwhelmed.
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Slow progress is the most reliable way to create any change in your life. When trying to reach a new goal, running a marathon, for instance, you set a pace to take a small step.

LOOK TO THE FUTURE

• • What does the end of your journey look like? How do you want to be seen in the future? What does your life look like? Now make a plan on how to get there.

    
    

    What can you do today to get started on your purpose? Do you need to make a new plan or set some new goals? Are there people whom you need to connect with? Is there something you can do today toward your passion? What resources do you need?
  • REMIND YOURSELF OF YOUR PURPOSE EACH DAY
  • • • Every morning and evening, remind yourself of it, look to the future, and feel the excitement. You can do this by rereading your goal, having a vision board of your life purpose goal, or simply journaling each day.
      • TRACK YOUR PROGRESS
      • • • Keep a journal listing your wins and losses. How can you create more success and prevent making future failures? Appreciate each step along the way.
          • LET OTHERS KNOW YOU HAVE FOUND YOUR PURPOSE
          • • • Tell and show others what you are doing. Practice putting your meaning into your daily activities. How can you communicate the importance of your purpose to others? You are the messenger, not just a worker.

                
                

                For example, if you know your life purpose is to create joy in other people’s lives through your art, your plan might include teaching others to paint, taking others on retreats that include art sessions, or hosting a tour at the local art gallery.
              • PUT IN THE WORK
              • • • Do not expect your life purpose to magically happen. You have to take the action and put into practice what needs to happen to make your life purpose a reality. To make a difference and be passionate about your meaning takes effort and time. Do not let the magnitude of your dreams become overwhelming for you. Do a little work each day, and the results will come faster than expected.
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Making Purpose Part of Life

 

• “Follow your own passion - not your parents,’ not your teachers’ - yours.” - Robert Ballard
• You have taken the time to explore your talents, discover your passions and determine what fills you with meaning. You know what you want and how you want to show up. You are prepared to devote your life to fulfilling your purpose.

  Before you can claim your passions, talents, and purpose to connect with the work you want to do, you have to figure out how to make it a part of your life every day. Living a passionate life begins with what brings you joy, knowing what you care about and why you create the things you do.
  
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• The definition of purpose is "the reason you do what you do," "your motive," or "the rationale." That is purposeful work that contributes to the world and allows you to use your skills and talents. Following your purpose and living a passionate life enables you to offer value to others. So how can you use how you have narrowed down your primary reason for being?
• “The dynamic process of aligning yourself with your life purpose requires energy and willpower: wind in your sails to move you forward, and a strong rudder to prevent being blown off course,” writes Victor Strecher, a behavioural scientist at the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health, and author of the book called Life on Purpose.

  Making your purpose a passionate part of your life requires energy and willpower, setting a course, and taking action. Of course, these can be boosted by having a healthy lifestyle that includes sleeping and eating well, getting plenty of exercises, and being present in your everyday life through meditation, prayer, or other practices.
  

  A healthy lifestyle influences every other area of your life. Along with a healthy lifestyle, though, is the need to take action and be aware of every choice or decision you make as it relates to your purpose.

Explore What Makes You Curious

 

• Mostly, people become stressed when they think about finding their passion and following their purpose. They experience pain and agony when they are unable to let it in. Stop trying to follow your passion and explore what makes you curious and happy.

  
  

  You can do this by asking yourself questions, trying new things, meditating, or journaling.
  
• What kinds of articles, videos or people grab your attention? What topic do you hear that moves you? What content keeps you desperately reading to the very end? That is curiosity. When something gives you a feeling of wanting to know or learn more, of wanting to lean in a little closer and dive deeper, this is when you have found a passion.

  
  

  What would you like to do more of? Instead of focusing on what you are missing or don’t have, focus on what you do have. Maybe your purpose is something you already do. But you aren’t doing it because you don’t have time or resources. What do you want to do more of? If it’s that passion, figure out how to implement it into your day-to-day life. How can you make the time or find the resources to allow you to do that passion you already have?
• What topic would you choose to talk about it if you only had 30 minutes without preparation? Think deeply about this one. That is the question that reveals what comes naturally to you. What energizes you? What lights your fire? What can you talk about for hours, losing track of time? What do you discuss with your friends that you don’t believe in a passion or purpose? Answer these questions, and you’ll be on the right track to finding your life purpose.
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Journaling as a Way to Discover your Deep Purpose

 

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• Keeping a journal is one of the best ways to get to know yourself on the deepest level. It reveals your inner thoughts, feeling and desires. By connecting with your identity through journaling, you can learn things about yourself that you did not know previously. By learning about yourself, you discover what you want and your passion.

  
  

  Many people find starting a journal daunting. It is hard to know how to use journaling as a self-discovery tool. Begin with these ideas to help you in the self-discovery journaling process.
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• Write down your doubts, fears, anxieties and worries. They manifest into problems in your mind if you do not deal with them. Bottling up your emotions and thoughts makes them worse than they are. Writing them down in a journal gets them out of your head. It helps you to see ways to resolve them.

  
  

  As you journal about them, you can look closer at the fears and doubts. Explore where they are coming from without judgment. You may surprise yourself with how much more you learn about yourself and your ability to overcome your fears, worries, doubts and anxieties.
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• Journal about your passions, the things that make you happy and bring you joy. Focus on the positive things in your life, as well as on your journey of self-discovery. Focusing solely on the negative aspects of your life will not be helpful in the long term. Instead, write about the things you enjoy.

  Write down what you were passionate about as a child, what you enjoy doing now, have always but no longer, or would love to learn to do. Identify what you are passionate about. It helps you discover what makes you happy. Once you know that, you can make a plan and follow it to do more of whatever that is.
  

  Do not forget to journal about what you are grateful for as well. That works well if you have trouble thinking positively since it automatically improves your mindset.
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• Journal in the third person format. That might feel strange, but writing in the third person helps you see solutions by distancing you from the issue. That allows you to look at things from a different perspective.

  Start writing in the third person for any issues you can’t resolve. What advice would you give someone in the same situation? Use the third-person narrative to explore your passions and how they connect to your broader life purpose. It’s a kind of “act as if” type of writing that lets you become someone else, often releasing the passions that are true for you.
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• Use prompts in your journaling to become self-aware. There are several you can use. For example, look at your favourite inspirational quotes. Now create an entire journal page about it.

  Ask yourself questions to prompt your writing. “What do I feel is missing from my life?” Any question that requires a well-thought-out answer is the one that helps you discover more about yourself.

Explore Your Passions Through Meditation

 

• “There is no passion to be found in playing small—in settling for a life that is less than the one 

  that you are capable of living.”- Nelson Mandela
• There are many ways to explore your passions and how they relate to your purpose. Many may seem silly or time wasters, but once you begin the journey, and do the work, you will see the result
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• Meditation Opens the Subconscious
• Meditation is not something practised by the new age hippie, the Yogis and the Buddhist monks. It is a practice that has been around for thousands of years and used by millions of people. You will find that meditation and mindfulness are more popular than ever today.

  Meditation is a tool used in the medical profession as well as in the business world. You can even find many prisons teaching inmates to use meditation. Counsellors and coaches use meditation with their clients to help them as well.
  

  Meditation is a learned skill that does require you to take the time and effort to master it. But once you do, you can use it to find answers and reveal your life purpose.
  

  Here is a quick introduction to how to meditate:
• step1:
• Sit in a quiet place free of distractions. The best sitting position is one where you are comfortable without changing position. You can use a firm and comfortable chair or mat in the lotus position.
• step2:
• Focus on your breathing. Feel how the air is moving in through your nose and the feel of the exhale out of your mouth. Continue focusing on your breath for at least 10 minutes. Bring your attention back to your breathing whenever your mind strays. That will require practice.
• step3:
• Ask yourself, "Why am I here, what is the point of living?" as you sit calmly. Just go back to paying attention to your breathing, unwinding, and listening to the responses.
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• Meditate every day to repeat the process. It can take several days to find the answers to your questions. Create a mediation schedule and continue asking the appropriate questions until finding some that make sense intuitively to you. The correct answer will feel right to you.
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• Use guided meditation if you need help. Many videos on YouTube have meditations for finding your life purpose. Guided meditation is easier, especially for someone just starting to meditate. There are other products and apps you can use as well, such as books and audio programs on meditation. Try different approaches until you discover the one that works best for you.

Harness Your Passion 3

 

• Listen to what makes you dream. Ask yourself these questions to help you identify your life passion.
• • If you never had to work again, how would you spend your time?
  • What are your natural talents, gifts, and skills?
    
  • What would you never give up on for anything?
    
  • What do others ask you about?
    
  • Think about the hobbies you’ve had over the years. Why did you choose those?
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• • What is something you do better than anything else?
  • What makes you curious?
• Take your time. It takes time to pursue your passions. If you want something different from what you currently have, you have to get uncomfortable and step into areas that are not familiar to you.

  Pay the price to be able to follow your purpose. That means sacrificing some things while pursuing your dream. Prepare to pay some sacrifice that will be worth it.
  

  Become the very best at what you love. Develop the skill you need to excel at it.
  

  Finding and developing your passion leads to living your purpose and being fulfilled. Passionate people are relentless, and they are visionaries. Follow your passions and find ways to use them to light up your life.

Harness Your Passion 2

 

• “Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”– Harriet Tubman
• Have you ever met or heard of someone who has an unusual passion? Maybe it‘s cave digging like sculptor Ra Paulette, who does it by hand, shaping them into works of art. Or have you heard of a unicycle-riding actress like Leslie Mann? Each of these passions may appear to be hobbies. But what if they were connected to your purpose?

  Cave digger Paulette is changing the way people view art. That’s his purpose: using his talent and passion for art and sculpting to bring beauty and awareness to others. On the other hand, unicycle riding isn’t Leslie Mann’s purpose. It’s simply a passionate hobby.
  

  How do you know the difference?
  
• • You love what you do, and you do it with enthusiasm.
  • You are passionate about it, almost to the point of obsession.
    
  • It consumes you during your waking hours, and you even dream of it.
    
  • You’re excited to meet the challenges of the day.
    
  • You feel like a kid.
    
  • You talk about your passion to everyone.
    
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• Harnessing your passion can change your life and the lives of others around you. It makes your life exciting and inspires those you work with. To harness your passion for a deeper purpose you need to know what that passion is.

  You can find it by:
  

  Listen to yourself. Most people go through the motions of their day. Their demand causes them to make choices without thinking or feeling about them. To tap into your passion, you need to know what you want. Slow down long enough to spot the clues about what excites you and makes your heart sing.

Harness Your Passion

 

• “If you can’t figure out your purpose, figure out your passion. For your passion will lead you right into your  purpose." - Bishop T.D. Jakes
• If you’ve ever asked someone how to find your purpose, you’ve most likely heard the answer, “Follow your passion.” Every person has passions: We’re passionate about our hobbies, our views, our family, and our work. Or help others and care for children, the earth, and animals.

  How can these passions help you find a deeper purpose?
  

  Investigating your interests and the things that make you feel a deep sense of joy, contentment, and service are all signs of your greater life purpose. Passion and purpose can be the same thing, but not all passions will lead to your purpose.
  

  Changing your life by following your heart or your passion has its advantages and includes:
• • More joy and happiness
  • A feeling of magic in your life
    
  • More success in all levels of life
    
  • Better relationships
    
  • Less fear, worry, and stress
    
  • Being comfortable with the ups and downs in life
    
  • More opportunities
    
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• Passion and purpose are distinct parts of the total fulfilment equation. Passion is about emotions, motivation, and what makes us feel good. Doing what contributes is crucial in this equation. The purpose is the reason or “the why” behind what we do for ourselves and others. It’s the “do what contributespart of the equation.
  Passion can be wild and exciting. The purpose is focused and intent.
  
  While some types of desires are transient, your intent is usually long-term. While your purpose is outwardly focused, focusing on the impact on others or your environment, your passions are inwardly centered.
  That is not to say that your passions cannot be a part of your purpose. When you are passionate about what you do, and it aligns with your meaning, you are more likely to be fulfilled. Aligning your passions, talents, and purpose is crucial to long-term fulfilment.
  
  If you try to inspire people to make positive changes, your passion is living holistically, and writing is your talent. You can create a personally fulfilling life and impact change on the greater whole.
  Passions are usually easy to identify, and connecting them to your purpose is simple. But other times, you may need to explore your passions to find a deeper purpose. Maybe you’re doing something you love, but it isn’t fulfilling your true purpose. In that case, dig deeper into your gifts, values, and what you want to contribute to the world.
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WHAT NEXT NIGERIA?

 

 The rich get richer and apparently the poor get poorer, which nation dictates who gets rich and who gets poor for her citizens? Nigeria?

 Giants of Africa as proclaimed? well dwarfism in reasoning as been the order of the day for our dear country Nigeria. Are we redeemable? Is this ever blood thirsty nation salvageable?

Well, pay no mind to the youths this nation obviously don't believe in them, a society where the male child is now useless without money, a society where a female child isn't even relevant outside wedlock no matter her achievements.

Everyday seems scripted and the perfect reference point where the life cycle of a black man becomes so predictable is Nigeria.

"The labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain, one nation bound in freedom, peace and unity" These are the two blatant lies in the first stanza our nation's anthem because if the dead do shake in their graves our heroes past will be shivering in severe pains.

Nobody is guaranteed tomorrow but everyday life in Nigeria makes the odds even lower. Should we talk about the daily bloodshed? How about the looting and money laundering by the supposed men of valor in key positions? Everyday seems scripted

A nation where absolutely nothing is moving, a nation where you can easily differentiate the rich from the poor even without going anywhere. There are people who aren't even guaranteed a single meal a day whereas there are people who have enough food and resources for a millennium all inside the same nation. 

Sports? Nigeria's female basketball team D'tigres pulled out of a women's basketball world cup few years back and even banned for 2 years by their own government for reasons known to them. Should we talk about how mayhem savagery was ongoing in a train enroute kaduna state the day the nation's men's football team(super eagles) were preparing for an important world cup qualifiers game against ghana? No single sporting event is making progress. 

Should we talk about the incident at the lekki toll gate few years back? The blood of those victims is yet to get justice only God knows if they are rest in peace. You never get justice in the country when your oppressor is on the other side of the financial food chain.

Should we talk about the inter ethnic fights and killings especially happening in the east? No one is even safe no more once you are outside your hometown

Should we talk about the religious fanaticism? Should we talk about the religious fights and killings? Should we talk about banditry?

How about Deborah samuel? The one that was lynched and cremated in mayhem savagery in sokoto for blasphemy? Nigeria makes it seems like your hands is in the hands of your fellow citizen because you don't even know who or what is coming for you. Even the people that introduced these religions to us don't go this extreme.

Travellers everyday are even afraid of reaching their destinations because of everyday abduction and kidnapping

ASUU has gone on strike one out of everyday four days on average for the past 6years can you fault them? They have families too and they have to feed, isn't agreement supposed to be agreement anymore? How about the students wasting days turned into months and years at home?

How about the unemployment? You aren't even guaranteed a comfortable life after school in this our country Nigeria no matter your grades.

What leads youths of today to go into fraud and then even rituals all because of money? The nation doesn't have a future for them, the nation has made it clear that it's all man for himself, the nation has made it a survival fight where even the fittest may need to shed blood.

The government? Our leaders? Change? These people in power never ever practice what they preach not when you have dry bones hoping to rise again in key positions.

36 states and yet it all oozes disunity it all oozes racism where we have turned the name to ethnic wars and tribalism. Igbos killing hausas and vice versa, fulani herdsmen killing their fellow humans and vice versa. Aren't we humans anymore? A tribe segregating another even in wedlock, every tribe has one ethnic group they will never allow their children to marry from. Why?

Free and fair election with bloodshed is truly free and fair only in Nigeria, why are the Innocent the targeted ones? Why are the poor the sacrificial lambs? 

Another election done and dusted like nothing happened, its safe to say this the real HOUSE OF EXILE that Lucky Dube sang about yet you see the so called leaders spending billions of naira on frivolities with reckless abandon in this same nation. Even the outcome of the so called election was scripted already. As it stands we don't even know what our destiny is while we remain victims of the so called INDEPENDENCE we never actually got. We don't know what is coming next for us but the question is

WHAT NEXT NIGERIA? WHAT NEXT NAIJA?