As a kid, you dream of all the things you want to do and be when you grow up. Then, one day, you become an adult and things are not quite as you imagined they would be.
I am pretty sure most twenty-somethings feel this way. It always feels like we are looking for purpose in our lives. You may have a job you love, but don’t have love in your life and feel like something is missing. Or vice versa–you may have a great love in your life and no job and are left feeling inadequate.
There are so many things that leaving us feeling like we have lost our purpose. Which means one thing: we need to stop putting so much pressure on ourselves and accept that we are adults.
Consider this, your purpose will change many times throughout your life:
- 10 years ago my purpose was to graduate college.
- After that it was about getting a good job.
- After that it was about finding happiness and love.
- One day when I have husband and kids, it will be about them.
What I think really gets to our generation most is that you feel like the only person who is out there trying to find their purpose in this world.
I hear it time and time again. I talk to my friends and when I look at their lives, I think they really have it all.
But then they start talking to me about how they are not where they want to be.
They don’t know what their next move is. It is then when I realize that they are feeling just like I do.
Over time we have been ingrained with the idea that everything has to be figured out and be a certain way in society’s standard of being a “normal” adult. The truth is there is no such thing as normal. Normal is what you make it. What I want and what someone else wants can be completely different, yet somehow each person is still judged based on society’s standards of what “normal” means.
[clickToTweet tweet=”The truth is there is no such thing as normal. ” quote=”The truth is there is no such thing as normal. “]
Here are three bad habits you need to break to help you find your purpose and feel good about your choices in life:
1. Make up your mind.
In order to finally feel like your life has purpose, you need to make up your mind about what that purpose is. Most of the time, everyone has a foot on both sides of the line and can’t pull the trigger on what they should do next. Make a choice and stick to it. Once you have a clear thought you can focus more on that purpose and work towards your goals associated with that purpose.
2. Let go of your age.
If you keep focusing on how old you are you will continue the cycle of thinking, “This is not where I thought I would be at this age.” It is this singular thought that brings so many people down when they are on the right path.
If you keep worrying about where you should be versus where you are then you will miss out on finally finding your purpose in life because you’re so focused on the “should be” rather than the “what is” in your life.
[clickToTweet tweet=”Focus less on what ‘should be’ and focus more on ‘what is.'” quote=”Focus less on what ‘should be’ and focus more on ‘what is.'”]
3. Stop playing the comparison game.
As I mentioned above, everyone feels like their life should be somewhere else rather then it really is. But when you compare your life to others’, it makes you feel that much worse about your life. And the truth is your life is probably pretty damn awesome!
The saying, “The grass is always greener,” is probably one of the truest clichés around. When you’re playing the comparison game, your focused more on what you don’t have and you forget about all the wonderful things you do have, and simultaneously lose sight of your purpose in life. Trust me–we are all guilty of this. So let go of all the comparisons!
If I can leave you will one piece of advice it is to always be true to yourself because that is all that really matters in the end. Screw society standards, screw what your friend has that you don’t, screw your age.
Just focus on your purpose and I promise you will find it.
[clickToTweet tweet=”Always be true to yourself because that is all that really matters in the end.” quote=”Always be true to yourself because that is all that really matters in the end.”]
About the Author
Lauren graduated from Hofstra University with a bachelor's degree in communications and a minor in psychology. She enjoys spinning, crafting, and Saints football. She is currently getting her teaching credential with hope to inspire future generations.