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In Episode 20 of the VulnerABILITY Podcast, host Marisa Donnelly discusses the search for purpose and speaks to anyone who’s struggling to find their meaning, or redefine who they are.
‘Purpose’ is one of those scary words. It’s one of those words we’re conditioned to chase, to try to understand, and to live out in our lives. Yet the idea of being ‘purposeless’ is something so many of us encounter, no matter how hard we search for meaning in our lives.
In this episode, I talk about how, from a young age, I was obsessed with knowing my reason for being alive. I was always trying new things, trying to find my role, and trying desperately to learn my true ‘identity.’
Yet I failed to realize it was in front of me the whole time.
What I’ve learned on my journey, though, is that we all feel purposeless sometimes. Purpose isn’t easy to discover or even understand. Perhaps life isn’t about finding it, but about creating it in the day-to-day.
Highlights From the Episode:
[2:50] “Your purpose doesn’t have to be this lofty thing. It doesn’t have to be this big, grand moment of your life where everything gets figured out. Honestly, your purpose is in the day-to-day.”
[5:00] “If we’re trying so hard to be a woman or man of faith, and trying to figure out what it really means and what we’re really supposed to be doing, we’re neglecting the moments right in front of us where be can be everything we’re intended to be.”
[7:15] “How can we live with intention in the day-to-day? How can we wake up and love the people around us? How can we give ourselves to the things that we do, whether work-related or passions-related, or creatively — anything. How can we talk to the people around us, even strangers, in a way that really reflects the person that we want to be? How can we do things, move through our days, with meaning?”
[7:45] “It’s about finding what you love and taking that thing and inserting it into your life as much as you can.”
[8:00] “I think it would be foolish to say that every single person should have a career that is fully their passion. Because sometimes that’s not realistic, and that’s okay.”
[8:05] “I think we should always try to pursue our passions, but if you’re in a field that’s not necessarily your passion, as long as you find a way to do the things that you love in your life — that’s what matters. And finding ways to be happy where you are, instead of always [being] on the search for more.”
[11:40] “Be patient and accept where you are right now. And accept it as a place in the map, in the journey of your life.”
[14:00] “Life is too short, and if you can take small steps in that direction and really believe in where you want to be — you’ll get there. You’ll have purpose. You’ll find purpose. There is purpose in you. Don’t doubt that.”
To listen to other episodes, click here.
