6 Tools for Discovering Your Life’s Purpose

Why am I here? What is my purpose? How do I discover and fulfill my deepest mission?

These are questions that we all ask at one time or another. Sometimes we discover the answers early on, but often we continue to ask these questions throughout our lives. As we grow and mature, the answers to these questions continue to evolve as well, as we discover ever-deeper aspects of ourselves and our potential.

Sometimes we go through phases where a clear vision of our dharma or purpose seems to elude us. Or we might encounter roadblocks, whether internal or external, that seem to prevent us from fully living that purpose once we identify it. These obstacles, however, don’t have to be permanent for us. Because of who we truly are—infinite potential—we can learn to move through all that hinders us from living our dharma. In fact, such obstacles can actually be used as opportunities for our further expansion.

6 Tools for Discovering and Fulfilling Your Life’s Purpose

Here are six ways to gain greater clarity regarding your life’s purpose:

• Establish a connection with the core intelligence of your being: All the intelligence of the universe resides within you. Open a dialogue with that intelligence and ask it to reveal your life purpose. Be open to the many avenues through which those answers can come—internally, externally, through friends, acquaintances, circumstances, and synchronicities.

• Use meditation and introspection:  Practice meditation to create greater inner clarity and awareness. Use introspection to discover yourself more fully. Use both as ways to dialogue with your core being. If you are new to meditation or want to deepen your practice, there are Chopra Center-certified instructors throughout the world who are passionate about sharing the gifts of meditation with others. 

• Affirm your unlimited potential: Give yourself daily reminders that your true nature is pure, unlimited potential. You may benefit from creating affirmations that you write out  and post in places where you will see them every day—such as a bathroom mirror or your car dashboard. Some people use apps that they can program to send themselves positive, personalized messages throughout the day. Get creative in affirming your unlimited potential. As you do, you will naturally release fearful thoughts and self-imposed limitation, opening the way to identifying and living your life’s purpose.

• Follow your bliss: Find the things you are most passionate about. Identify those things and activities that are most joyful, meaningful, and interesting for you. These provide good clues  to where your life’s purpose lies.

• Use relationships as messengers from your core intelligence: Pay attention to what others are saying to you regarding your talents, skills, and gifts, especially if you hear similar things from multiple people. Relationships are one of the primary ways our core intelligence communicates with us.

• Set your intentions and pay attention to synchronicities: Use intentions to either create greater clarity about your purpose or to help achieve your purpose. Then pay close attention to the various synchronicities that play out in your life. Interpret these as responses to your intentions and then act on them accordingly.

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