Our purpose is an expression of the deepest dimension within us-of our central core or essence, where we have a profound sense of who we are, where we came from, and where we're going. Purpose when it is clear, is the aim around which we structure our lives, a source of direction and energy, and the way the meaning of our lives is worked out in daily experience. You have a purpose no matter what age you are, how healthy you are, or what your economic or social situation is. Your purpose is the reason you were born, and it can be what gets you out of bed in the morning.
What determines the power in purpose, ultimately, is the worthiness of the focus. Having purpose that provides real power requires a goal outside ourselves. Only when our purpose--is larger than ourselves can meaning be deeply savored and long lasting, not just a goal completed and then forgotten.
At our core we need to matter. We need evidence to believe that we are good people and are evolving--becoming the best we can be. Naming our purpose helps us satisfy a basic need that we're being used for a purpose that we recognize as a worthy one.
Each of us is on a quest to find our purpose whether we are consciously pursuing the quest or are vaguely aware that something is missing.
Throughout history, humans have sought to make sense of their lives, searching for meaning through prayer, retreat, art, music, nature, community, gratitude, forgiveness, and multiple other ways. Traditionally, purpose was connected with the spiritual aspect of people's lives, and healers, priests, and shamans were the ministers who helped people connect with the sacred to restore bodies and souls to heath and wholeness.
The time to give our attention to producing our best intentions, gaining meaning, having purpose or personal wellness is RIGHT NOW.
To do this, for the last year and a half I have been focusing on cultivating increased self-awareness, through self-observation, contemplative and embodiment practices and feedback, by validating my personal values, purpose and vision; communicating more authentically and compassionately with the individuals that I work with, the patients that I come into contact with; and by expressing appreciation for others and embracing diversity on a much grander scale; by initiating dialogue with mentors, leaders and teachers at all levels across the globe and by systematically changing my approach to self and otherness; and using a comprehensive array of state-of-art methodologies and social media technologies. As a result, I am steadily becoming a more emotionally, cognitively, physically and spiritually balanced person.
While I still have all of the same human conditions to deal with I have learned to operate in a manner that prevents them from dominating my life or sending me off-track and away from the very clear vision, purpose and meaning that I have chosen for my life and is at the core of the relationships that I hope very much to continue having with others.
Out of sheer necessity, much of this groundwork work has been done alone in the privacy of my heart and at home. It has been supported by meditation, prayer, reading, watching videos and messaging family, friends, colleagues and strangers mostly for the chance to really hear what others have to offer about living, coping and recovering from life's many challenges.
As an estimate, I can honestly tell you that I have directly interacted with thousands of people face-to-face, by telephone, conference call, email, me.mail, gmail, yahoo, aboutme, blogger, facebook, linkedin, twitter, and more. Given that I had time, I tried to make good use of it by recognizing that it is a precious gift, one that may never be available to me again in such abundance.
This is my story, and this is why and how I became 'the integrated person'.
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