Purpose. Life.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Those two words ought to co-exist and intermingle, but often, they wind up going their separate ways. There are times when they meet and greet each other, but that lasts for a short period of time (or, they make plans to meet in X years when Y things are wrapped up). What would it take for those two letters to be together forever in a committed and nourishing relationship?<\/p>\n
I delved deeper into that relationship in December 2024, when I enjoyed four weeks near Joshua Tree National Park in California. I went on daily hikes and spent several evenings taking star photos in the desert. When I looked up at the stars, I felt a visceral sense of perspective: Those stars are hundreds of light-years away. If some being is watching the Earth from those stars, the Earth would also appear to be a tiny speck in the universe. And where and who am I on that speck? I\u2019m a tinier being on a tiny speck.<\/p>\n
That sense of perspective\u2014how everything, even though it appears grand, is relatively small when compared to the entirety of the universe\u2014made me question the concept of grand moments (and the purposes associated with those moments) versus mundane or simple ones.<\/p>\n
For the most part, I\u2019ve been focusing on achieving the stereotypical grand things in life: education, job, finances, hobbies, home, relationships and such. I acknowledge that those things are important. I can\u2019t completely disregard them.<\/p>\n
And it\u2019s not just me. Often, purpose is thought of as something grand and momentous that will happen in the future:<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I retire, I\u2019ll travel more and pick up more hobbies.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cNext Saturday, I\u2019ll volunteer at the neighbourhood community event.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll buy a home sometime in the next couple of years.\u201d<\/p>\n
These are all great examples of having specific goals.<\/p>\n
But is that the only definition of purpose, or can that word be expanded to include other not-so-grand moments or experiences? After all, big is small when you compare something big to other bigger items.<\/p>\n
Based on my time in the park, I decided to use the concept of beauty to define what purpose is. By beauty, I mean anything that brings joy, peace, growth or nourishment. If an experience brings you beauty, you\u2019ve achieved your purpose in that moment.<\/p>\n
For example, when you treat yourself to the act of watching the sun setting by the river on an autumn evening, you may feel joy, connection and inspiration: The sun\u2019s setting below the horizon, the clouds are painted yellow and pink, and the river\u2019s flowing by with a lovely ruffling sound.<\/p>\n
If it brought beauty to your life, how long did that beauty last? It doesn\u2019t matter. Life is a series of moments laid on top of each other, and you did a great job filling that particular moment with beauty.<\/p>\n
Remember that you don\u2019t have to wait till Saturday or till you\u2019re 59 to achieve your purpose. You can find your purpose right here in the present moment.<\/p>\n
I believe there are two containers in life. These include: <\/p>\n
- \n
- The jar of happiness: We want to pour as many colourful petals of happiness as possible into this jar. We can see what\u2019s inside this container.<\/li>\n
- The jar of breaths: It\u2019s a jar that\u2019s gifted to us with a prefilled number of breaths. With every moment we live, it drains out a bit. We can\u2019t see what remains inside this container.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Events like home-buying may bring 600 petals to the happiness jar, whereas ones like watching the sunset might bring 20.<\/p>\n
Given that we don\u2019t know how full the breath jar is, why should we mainly wait for grand events like a home purchase (or celebrating a family member\u2019s college graduation) to level-up the happiness jar?<\/p>\n
Petals of beauty are all around, in various shapes and sizes. It\u2019s a matter of recognizing their presence, cherishing them and gratefully placing them in the happiness jar.<\/p>\n
2 examples of finding purpose<\/h2>\n
\nAbove, I mentioned the example of watching the sunset to illustrate how to find purpose in joyous moments in life. This purpose-finding practice doesn\u2019t apply solely to fun and pleasant moments, though. Its power is that it can (and should) be expanded to include neutral and challenging moments.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a quick note about the practice in general, before we move onto other examples. Once I\u2019ve indulged in the experience, I say an affirmation out loud, which sounds something like this: <\/p>\n
\u201cEnjoying the sunset by the riverside brought beauty to my being. I\u2019m living my life so I can find and indulge in experiences like this one. I\u2019ve achieved my purpose in life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking the affirmation gives me a relaxing sense of fulfillment. It\u2019s like I\u2019ve put down a 50-pound bag I\u2019d been carrying for hours, and now I\u2019m lying on a bed of cherry blossoms. That\u2019s my body\u2019s way of saying, \u201cThanks for indulging me in this nourishing experience and for taking the burden of future purposes off me, for now.\u201d<\/p>\n
An example of a neutral experience<\/h3>\n
You\u2019re washing dishes in the kitchen sink. Your hands are moving the sponge across a dish. You pick up the soap and squirt it over the pan. You turn on the water. <\/p>\n
Each of those physical acts is a marvellous gift that your mind and body have been granted, and together, they allow you to complete a seemingly mundane task. Acknowledging the presence of those gifts\u2014along with the home in which you\u2019re staying, the meal you just had, and other pleasant physical realities\u2013can bring ease and gratitude to your existence. <\/p>\n
Although washing dishes is just a five-minute task, it can make you feel nourished and blessed when it comes to the things that are working well in your life. <\/p>\n
You might say to yourself, \u201cFeeling grateful for being able to wash dishes brought beauty to my being. I\u2019m living my life so I can find and indulge in experiences like this one. I\u2019ve achieved my purpose in life.\u201d<\/p>\n
An example of a challenging experience<\/h3>\n
You\u2019re feeling anxious about a job application, so you step aside from the computer for a few minutes. You choose to watch a fun TV show, go for a walk outside, do some calming meditation exercises, or engage in whatever else brings you ease. You come back to the computer and resume your work on the application.<\/p>\n
You might say, \u201cThe way my mind and body managed anxiety reminded me that I\u2019m continuing to grow and become more capable. That reminder brought beauty to my being. I\u2019m living my life so I can find and indulge in experiences like this one. I\u2019ve achieved my purpose in life.\u201d<\/p>\n
You might wonder why I\u2019m saying \u201cI\u2019ve achieved my purpose in life\u201d as part of these examples, as your life\u2019s purpose isn\u2019t solely to wash dishes, submit job applications or watch autumn sunsets.<\/p>\n
While that is true, life is nothing but what you have in this moment. The past is gone, the future is uncertain and the present is the only present you have. So life equals this moment, and in those particular moments, I found beauty and achieved my purpose. That makes \u201cI\u2019ve achieved my purpose in life\u201d a valid and rejuvenating statement. <\/p>\n
How does this practice help?<\/h2>\n
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