Purpose

There you stand, peering at that all too familiar face staring back at you. You've seen those eyes. You've spoken the same words. You've heard all the same thoughts. But at this point, which side of the mirror are you truly on?

Are you on the side with purpose? The one who wakes up every morning with decisions to make, dreams to follow and lives to touch.

Or, are you on the side that merely reflects? The one who merely imitates what is known; never quite reaching full potential because your movement is confined to the boundaries of the mirror.

I stumbled across this quote recently (on Pinterest, of course) that sparked the ideas that await on this page...

"Fall asleep with a dream, wake up with a purpose."

And as I dissected this quote in two, I came to the conclusion that the first half is where our drive and ambitions reside and the second half is where our practical applications and talents come to life. The first half is "down the road"; the second half is the "right here, right now."

For me, 'purpose' plays a role in each and every day - not just the greater notion of 'Who should I become?' or ' What should I do with my life?' Every single day, our life has a purpose... that is why we wake up in the first place. It is another chance, another opportunity, to bring to fruition the talents we have been blessed with for not only ourselves and our own pursuit of a meaningful life, but that of others as well.

So I challenge you all to consider these three ways of finding purpose in every single day and not getting lost in the greater pursuit of lifelong meaning...

1. Find ways to maximize your talents in the the situations that each and every day brings.

We will struggle, we will prevail and we will learn. We will excel, we will strengthen and we will teach. In every situation that arises, we can find something of benefit to our own skill set and the skill set of others. Recognize your talents. Identify weaknesses and concentrate on strengthening them. Understand your capabilities but never settle for complacency. You are capable of so much more than you think you are - you just need to keep your mind open, your heart confident and your willpower strong.

2. Be the reason that somebody smiles.

Tell a joke. Lend a hand. Hold the door. Kindness and empathy are not in abundance in this world - they rely on us, as vessels, to create and spread them throughout the world. If you have eyes, see the needs of others. If you have ears, listen with the intention of truly hearing and not speaking. If you have a mouth, speak words that heal not hurt; that teach not belittle. If you have hands, use them to help someone up not push someone down. If you have feet, use them to provide guidance, direction and stability. Lastly, if you have a heart, use it to show love and compassion - this world needs it. This world was not made for you, we are in it for each other. In short, make someone's day. Be selfless. It is immeasurable how much you can touch a life by simply saying "hello."

3. Do one thing each day to better yourself.

Reflect. Read. Exercise. Step outside of your comfort zone. Travel somewhere that you have never been to. Do something that you have never done before. In order for us to reach our full potential, we must pursue personal growth. There is too much knowledge in this world to ever stop learning; too many adventures to be had to ever stop exploring; too many stars above us to ever stop reaching. There is so much to life to ever stop living. Be bold. Be courageous. Be invested in the pursuit of becoming your 'best self.'

So you see, every day we have a purpose. It may not be the 'greater purpose' that might always consume our minds of the future, but it is there. Every day that we wake up, we have another chance to let life touch us and to touch the life of another. Never take that for granted - that is our purpose. When you wake up in the morning, which side of the mirror will you be standing on?