Finding Your Soul Purpose
Most successful people have a very clear purpose that drives them. Some may have discovered a special talent as a child or an adult. Others may have found their “why” after a difficult or traumatic personal experience.
Most importantly, if you don't discover your soul purpose, you might keep floating through life on autopilot. You could feel like you are off track, lost, or confused. You might be unsure how to proceed or which direction is forward. Even if everything is going well for you, you might look back at some point and wish you had used your time differently.
This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lynn Cheng for the podcast.
She is an intuitive coach and certified quantum energy healer. She also refers to herself as a Wizardess of Empowerment. Lynn is passionate about empowering, supporting, and assisting other women in finding their soul awakening, so they can navigate life in an authentic and powerful way. She is on a mission to help and guide awakening starseed souls in the remembrance of their soul song and soul mission.
“The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for.”
- Fyodor Dostoyevsky
I have experienced the power of purpose (or lack thereof) many times. After completing my undergraduate studies, I lost my sense of purpose, resulting in long periods of mental distress. We may not be aware that we have lost our purpose, but the results can be intense. This often happens around important life chapters, like graduating, getting married, having a child, divorcing, retiring, changing jobs, or losing a loved one. Intense emotional events can cause a shift in thinking and a re-alignment is then needed to get back on track.
What is Soul Purpose?
Some of you might be thinking now that you don’t believe in a soul. Fair enough. Even if you don’t believe in reincarnation or soul purpose, you may feel a sense of curiosity as to what your purpose on earth is. A person's sense of purpose is typically regarded as the most crucial factor in determining how they will behave, make choices, and achieve their goals. Pursuing one's passions, starting a family, giving back to the community, or creating a business and doing important work may be what purpose means to some people. Making someone you care about happy or looking after your family may be “purpose” to other people.
In my opinion, the idea that purpose is set in stone can lead to a disconnect in life. People frequently experience profound changes in their sense of purpose, particularly following major life chapter events like mentioned before. Having a feeling of purpose is crucial, no matter what gives you meaning and purpose. And it’s ok to redefine that purpose or how you want to express your purpose in life.
Your life's work is as unique as your fingerprint. Each of us has individual abilities, life experiences, skill sets, and interests that excite us. Although soul purpose is connected to these, your soul purpose is your essence. It makes you who you are. It’s your life spark. You will usually build your skills and interest around your purpose, pursuing the things you enjoy and are passionate about.
If you are lost or confused and have become disconnected from your soul purpose, you can start by exploring the areas you enjoy and the things you are good at. This will be a great starting point for re-aligning with your purpose.
Soul Purpose and Mental Wellbeing
Research has shown that those with a strong sense of purpose and meaning in life typically experience better mental health, well-being, and cognitive performance. Heart attacks, strokes, and dementia are less likely to occur in those who feel they have a purpose. Especially as we age, it seems important to have a sense of purpose in life for mental and physical well-being. Depression in seniors, for example, may in part be connected to losing your sense of purpose, although more studies are needed.
The ability to derive sense and value from life's events may be a process underpinning resilience, particularly while facing adversity. Purpose in life predicts both health and longevity. And a sense of purpose in life may inspire people to reframe difficult circumstances to deal with them more effectively, speeding up their ability to recover from stress and trauma. It also seems that a person's long-term ability to find and pursue a sense of purpose may be influenced by their ability to recover from difficult situations.
People frequently discuss how losing their sense of purpose causes them to experience mental distress, suggesting that purpose and mental health are connected. This may also be associated with feelings of self-worth and identity, which can be factors in well-being. My personal experience underscores the idea that purpose and mental health are connected.
Whenever I felt disconnected from my authentic path, or I felt I was lacking purpose, my mental well-being would decline. During times of strong connection and feeling a sense of direction, I would feel much more balanced, confident, and motivated. My purpose seemed to become more specific and clear with age. But even as a child and teenager, I had a sense of things I truly enjoyed and wanted to pursue.
Working with an Intuitive Coach
If you feel disconnected or unsure about your soul purpose or your life path, working with an Intuitive Coach could be a great option. For example, Lynn guides her clients to discover their soul purpose, so they live more fulfilled lives. Even if you feel trapped in a life you don’t want, or believe that life is not going in the direction you want, it can be beneficial to work with an Intuitive Coach. Asking your family and friends for help might be your first instinct, but it’s often not the most helpful path. A coach is objective and can help you with their unique strategies without judging you.
You might want to discuss your life path, future goals, what you are passionate about, and why you want to make a life change. Your coach will likely consider your values, beliefs, passions, and energy as they guide and mentor you. While Life Coaches may be focused on a specific area in your life, Intuitive Coaches usually adopt a different approach. To help their clients find their soul purpose and achieve the kind of life they are seeking, they will work with a client’s personality, emotional states, and innate abilities.
As the name suggests, Intuitive Coaches are very much tuned into their clients’ energy and energetic space through intuition. This allows them to tailor their coaching to the client's unique life situation, while being sensitive about their emotional needs. For many women, this approach is very gentle and supportive. Many Intuitive Coaches are trauma-informed and work specifically with sensitive clients.
The Takeaway
Finding meaning is important to leading a happy and fulfilling life. A personal sense of purpose can be one of the most continual influences throughout your life. Your purpose is your unique and individual “why”. Your soul purpose serves as both a compass and a foundation through the years. Purpose provides you with stability and a feeling of direction even when things are difficult and you face challenges.
One part of supporting your mental well-being is recognizing, accepting, and honoring your soul purpose. Living in an authentic way can certainly be challenging because it can raise issues and concepts that might be difficult to hear. But it is worthwhile. Connecting with your soul purpose and pursuing your path can benefit you both mentally and physically.
If you are experiencing unease or a disconnect from yourself, an Intuitive Coach can help. They can guide you to discovering and exploring your soul purpose and help you find ways to live more authentically. Making sense of intangible concepts like purpose can be challenging because you cannot actually hear, see, smell, or touch “purpose”. Explaining to your family or friends that you have lost your connection might not make much sense to them.
An Intuitive Coach will provide a safe space for you to share your experiences.
They can also tune into what is going on with you and help you in an energetic way. Often, the path to discovering soul purpose may lie in visualizations or guided journeys and the discoveries can be profound.
Finding your soul purpose can be an amazing journey and one of the most impactful things you do!
Benefits of working with a life coach – The Coach Space. (n.d.). The Coach Space. Retrieved September 24, 2022, from https://thecoachspace.com/benefits-of-working-with-a-life-coach/
Bundrant, M. (n.d.). The 33 Awesome Benefits of Life Coaching You Need to Know. iNLP Center. Retrieved September 24, 2022, from https://inlpcenter.org/benefits-of-life-coaching/
Doyle, S. (2022, May 10). 12 Proven Benefits of Life Coaching — the better life project. The Better Life Project. Retrieved September 24, 2022, from https://www.thebetterlifeproject.ie/blog/proven-benefits-of-life-coaching
Sense of Purpose and Mental Health Are Linked Together. (2022, February 8). Psychreg. Retrieved September 24, 2022, from https://www.psychreg.org/sense-purpose-mental-health/
Wood, K. (2022, September 19). What Is the Purpose of Life And How to Find Purpose in Life. Lifehack. Retrieved September 24, 2022, from https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/how-find-your-lifes-purpose-and-make-yourself-better-person.html
Wooll, M. (2021, October 19). Start Finding Your Purpose and Unlock Your Best Life. BetterUp. Retrieved September 24, 2022, from https://www.betterup.com/blog/finding-purpose
https://thejornipodcast.com/episode-31-soul-awakening-with-lynn-cheng