Purpose

Purpose (pur-pose, noun): The reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc.

Many people have asked me why I’ve chosen to include purpose as one of wellfesto’s core content areas.  After all, purpose can be vague and overwhelming and scary….especially if you’re not sure what your purpose is.  I’m including it first, because studies show that people whose lives are aligned with a strong sense of purpose are happier, healthier, and live longer.  Secondly, and maybe even more importantly, I’m including it because it is a critical part of my own journey to be well.  Throughout my life, my moods, plans, self-concept and self-confidence have fluctuated my life has felt aligned or misaligned with a purpose.  It’s something I’m still working on (this project is part of that journey), and I think it’s a really important thing for people to focus on within the context of well-being.  I’ll often lump work/career and purpose together.  As scary as it is, I do believe that we eventually become what we do all day long.  When I think about how my purpose alignment either supports or inhibits my overall health, here are some of the questions I ask:

• How confident am I that I have a strong purpose I believe in?
• How well does my work — where I work, what I do, and who I work with — align with my life purpose/mission?
• How well does my work support other parts of my well-being (exercise, food, mind, relationships)?  Can I do walking meetings?  Do I have time to eat a peaceful meal?  Do I have friends at work?  Am I learning?
• Does my personal brand reflect my purpose?

What work questions are important to you as you put together your wellfesto?