Purposeful Living: Turning Purposeful Habits Into Transformation

Content Warning: This blog contains content mentioning suicide.

How can you leverage your purposeful life to help others live more purposefully?

This is a key question for all of us who are embracing the intentional life of purpose where one seeks to integrate their best life with their work life.

In the past three months, we have identified a process for purposeful living. It starts by 1. identifying your seeds of hope and 2. turning those seeds of hope into achievable goals with systems that will support those goals. Lastly, we looked at the habits necessary to sustain these goals.

This three-step process has brought you to a greater awareness of how to live with a purposeful 2023 plan. Now you are better equipped to find work that integrates with your best life. Well done!

This month, we want to support your contemplation and planning around the impact you can make now that you are living a purposeful life.

How can you make an impact?

Psychological studies show that loneliness is one of the greatest epidemics of our time. Depression, drug abuse, broken relationships, and suicide are all on the rise. Many of these stats point to the loneliness that is widespread in our country. At the root of this horrible problem lies an amazing opportunity for those who are living an intentional life of purpose at home and at work.

We were not meant to live in isolation. I was reminded of this as I peeked through my friend's window one cold afternoon a few years back. Mark had reached out to me. He was an old friend. We had not seen each other in a long time, but he said he had hit rock bottom in many areas of his life, and he felt I might be willing to catch up. We arranged to meet, and we went deep as he shared the struggles he was experiencing. We made some intentional next steps, including getting back together weekly. We both left very encouraged.

When I went to see him the next week, as we had planned, he did not open the door. His car was there, and I was almost positive he was home. So, I waited for a while, but decided to leave. I texted and called him many times over the next following weeks, but never heard back from him. I was sad that we could not grow alongside one another, I was sorry I could not help him, and I was absolutely devastated when I received word that Mark took his life a few months after we had met.

When you lose a loved one in this way, the grieving process is hard to predict. I felt an incredible amount of guilt. My thoughts surrounded upon: “What could I have done differently? What could I have said with more empathy? How could I have helped more?”

As I talked through my questions and emotions with my mentors, the shame slowly dissipated, but my conviction grew.

Mark had reached a state of depression that required more intervention than I was equipped to offer. My heart was in the right place, and my friendship had a positive impact on Mark, even though his loneliness and depression were just too pervasive by the time we started reconnecting.

The conviction that has grown in me since is this: To live purposefully, I must look towards those I can learn from AND those who may find themselves in need of support.

We are created to be in relationship with one another, yet our individualistic drives often have us with our heads down, not seeing how we can impact others around us.

So, what now?

As you wrap up this 4-month season of mapping your purposeful 2023 plan, you should end with contemplation and intentionality to increase your impact with those who need you.

Look at the questions below to support the revelation necessary to turn your purposeful living into transformation for others:

• Is there someone around you that needs a friend?
  • Ask the people that come to mind to spend some time together with no agenda other than connection.
• Who in your life seems to be going through a major life transition that might want to talk about it?
  • Consider folks who have recently switched jobs, had a child, got married, lost a parent, or have been sick?
• What have you overcome in your life that was a big challenge?
  • As you identify your valleys/lows of life, look around to those who might be going through similar struggles right now. How can you support them?
• Is there anyone that is 10 years younger than you who you might feel called to mentor?
  • If so, reach out and connect over coffee or lunch.

Now, make a list of the three people that stand out from this contemplation.

I am confident that the three names you wrote down will benefit from your friendship and mentoring. Commit to reaching out and connecting with them. Your purposeful life can transform these three people’s journey to purpose. You are a catalyst!

At the Purpose Promise, we are passionate about spreading the seeds of hope that we gain when we intentionally map out our best life and integrate our careers with that plan. As you mentor others, please let us know if any of our resources can support the growth in these relationships. Together, we can spark a movement of purpose that will stop the spread of loneliness and save lives!

We can all help prevent suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health call 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org for more resources. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.