A purpose filled post-pandemic plan

After months of sheltering at home, we may feel like caged birds right now. Yet, before Corona clipped our wings, we often lived in cages of our own making — flying through our days without much joy, connection, or meaningful purpose. It may seem frivolous to think about this now when so many have lost a job or, worse yet, a loved one this year. The truth is facing crisis is when we most desperately need joy, connection, and meaningful purpose in our lives. Instead of going back to ‘normal,’ how about creating a more purpose filled post-pandemic plan?

Healing power of purpose

Experts now say that finding meaning is one of the most important stages in healing from grief.  Sadly, many of us will need this once the pandemic is over. Lack of meaningful purpose is also linked to many health issues, including heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and addiction.

Finding a purposeful path in life doesn’t mean we need to leave our jobs, ditch our relationships, or sell all our belongings and go on a mission to save the world. Focusing on the external is how we lost our connection to purpose in the first place.

The way to feel a sense of purpose in our lives is by connecting to what matters to us on the inside — arising from our deepest values, authentic expression, and contributing to a better world. By making a small shift in our priorities, we can experience a big shift in our overall emotional and physical wellbeing. That’s the way to create a purpose filled post-pandemic plan.

The pursuit of happiness

If you grew up in America, you likely learned that success meant obtaining a certain degree, achieving status at work, fitting into a perfect size, owning designer goods, or making a lot of money. Unfortunately, even when achieving these goals, we often feel empty inside. So we set another goal and another goal. At some point we discover that Mick Jagger had it right all along: I try and I try and I try…I can’t get no satisfaction.

The more we pursue happiness, the more it  eludes us. Why? Because we’re so busy seeking and trying, we aren’t experiencing what truly makes our hearts sing and our souls soar.

It’s not that setting goals and achieving them is wrong. But if we want to experience the ‘wind beneath our wings,’ we need to focus on what truly brings us joy and meaning.

Ponder your passions

Not sure where to start?  Grab a journal, writing tablet, or sticky notepad and answer some questions without overthinking. To go even deeper, use your non-dominant hand — it will be messy, but it’s an exercise that gets you out of your head and into your heart.

• What moves you to laugh or cry? Anything that truly inspires emotion, such as nature, animals, books, music, movie clips, certain commercials on TV, etc.
• What are you good at that you also enjoy doing? Hobbies, like baking, gardening, or knitting, or skills, like math, project planning, or designing websites.
• How can others benefit from what you can joyfully offer? How it can help family, friends, charities, and others.

Within your answers, you’ll find some clues as to how you can engage with more joy and meaning in your life.

Just do it

To truly realize the benefits of this journaling exercise, you’ll need to take some action, too.

Here’s the good news: This action is something you LOOK FORWARD to doing. If you dread it, like cutting carbs or organizing your closets, scratch it off your list. This doesn’t mean we avoid any tasks we don’t enjoy. But in this part of your life, where YOU are king or queen, you get to choose how you spend your time, energy, and passion.

Grow your heart like the Grinch

Here are some ideas to get you started. You could funnel your gifts into a new business venture or volunteer with a charity that will treasure what you have to offer. Visit VolunteerMatch.org for ideas. There are lots of things you can do even from home, like writing cards to the elderly; spreading the word about important causes on Social Media; or helping to create a website or write grants for a charity.

Or, start a little smaller by adding a weekly ‘playdate’ to your calendar that’s focused on doing something you love. Parents plan these dates for their kids, but when was the last time you gave yourself a day, or even an hour, devoted to having fun? That doesn’t mean numbing out on TV, alcohol, shopping or some other escapism. Remember, as noted above, lack of purpose also drives addictive behaviors.

The important thing is that we give ourselves the gift of time to enjoy activities that bring true joy, connection, and meaning. Like the Grinch, your heart will grow three sizes when you do!

It also creates a wonderful ripple, like dropping a pebble into a puddle, that vibrates out to other areas of your life. Plus, you’ll experience the reverse effect — attracting more joyful experiences, situations, and people to you.

Experience the rainbow

Reconnecting to joy, connection, and meaning IS our purpose in life. By creating a purpose filled plan, we may still fly through our post-pandemic days, but we will enjoy the feeling of the flight vs. waiting to arrive at a destination to achieve satisfaction.

Remember, purpose is not the pot of gold found at the end of the rainbow. It is the rainbow.

Want to explore these ideas further? Consider working with a life coach like me to help you gain additional insights and stay on track.