Written by: Elmien Riley, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise
As modern human beings, we live a life of incredible busyness, with added stress and constant pressure to perform, to achieve and to be successful.
We compare ourselves to our colleagues, our neighbours, our siblings, even strangers. Trying to do better, be richer, have more influence or even be famous.
But at some point, almost every person would contemplate:
What is the purpose of my life? Where do I find meaning?
A precious few are fortunate to boldly follow their purpose. They live excited. They seem to have endless energy. They seem to be in that zone of knowing and being at the same time.
As for the rest of us? We search, we question, we consult… because, purpose, we instinctively feel, is linked to happiness.
Jean Paul Sartre, a 20th century existential philosopher has much hope for those who are in search of purpose and meaning - according to him, it is a process of discovery.
This life-long journey of discovery could have been a romantic idea if it wasn't that hard and confusing while you are actually running the race. Given a choice, the purpose seekers would love to take time off to meditate in the mountains or backpack through Europe or even just stare at the sky somewhere on a beach in Mexico.
Victor Frankl offers another perspective. In his book, Man's Search for Meaning, he reflected on his experience in concentration camps of the Second World War. Frankl’s view is that our search for meaning is one of our most primary motivational drivers. He concluded that – without meaning – human beings become unhappy and dissatisfied with life. And each person’s meaning is different. There is no external valuation that determines one person's meaning is more important or meaningful than another person’s.
The Japanese principle of Ikigai, offers another view on purpose and a life of happiness. It encapsulates the link between happiness and purpose. Finding the illusive intersection between what you love, what you are good at, what you are passionate about and what the world needs. According to Ikigai, the secret to a long and happy life is to live in that precious intersection, where you love what you do and you get paid for it.
The consensus in living a purposeful life seems to have meaning in life. To do what you love and feel passionate about.
But finding your purpose is not a linear process. It rather resembles a maze, of searching, a few dead ends and eventually discovering and reconnecting with your purpose. This is possibly what Sartre also meant.
So, where do you start looking for your life purpose?
Can you find it at any age?
Is a dream and a purpose the same thing?
Do you have more than one purpose in a lifetime?
The secret is to start looking for clues within yourself. Because your purpose starts with a whisper, often buried under layers and layers of societal pressures, of must do’s, of should do’s.
In Rapid Transformational Therapy, we use hypnosis to help our clients uncover their purpose. Because with hypnosis, we can access the incredible wisdom and insight of the subconscious mind.
You might wonder what the subconscious mind can tell us what the conscious rational mind doesn't already know. The truth is that the conscious mind acts like an editor. It listens to the outside world. What people say. What you should be doing. We lose our purpose when we use external factors to guide us.
The subconscious mind is less judgmental. It does not consider what you should, must and have to do. It doesn't care how it will stack up to your friends, your colleagues, your family. It is more in-tuned with your true self. The subconscious mind will give you an unedited version of what the heart wants, what will help you connect with the real you. It is often something you did so effortlessly between the ages of 7 and 14. You might have naturally taken the lead at school. Loved to create something. Maybe you were the glue that kept the group together.
Living with purpose is not something out there. We need to search for it, but the answer is already within you. You need to learn how to listen. We all have a unique skillset, area of excellence, a purpose in life. There is a reason you are on the planet. The starting point is to reconnect with that essence of what you love to do, what you do well.
If you have been searching or questioning your purpose and are still not sure if you have found it, why not consider listening to your subconscious mind.
If you are interested in using Rapid Transformational Therapy to find meaning again, schedule a free no-obligation discovery call with me. Click here to book.
Elmien Riley, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Elmien Riley is a systems thinker, brain power activist and believer in the ability of individuals to transform their lives.
Understanding the demands of a corporate career and experiencing overwhelm, anxiety and burn-out, she developed strategies and practical ways to manage and overcome these all too common issues in the work environment.
Elmien completed a MBA and has Honours degrees in both Communication and Industrial Psychology. However, she found her true passion when she decided to redesigned her life. This meant leaving a corporate career and transitioning to a new career as Transformational Coach and Rapid Transformational Therapist®.
As a Transformational Coach and Rapid Transformational Therapist®, Elmien helps others to manage overwhelm, anxiety and burn-out and find purpose in life.
She does this through therapy (hypnosis), coaching, workshops and online learning.
Elmien believes in the incredible power of the mind, loves all things neuroscience and continues to find ways for the conscious and subconscious mind to work in unison to unlock potential, find meaning and live a happy life.
