Finding your purpose

Purpose is like the breath of life. Or for some it could be more the breadth, depth and width of life. The times when we think most about our purpose is usually when we are struggling: as a teenager wondering what job we will do and/or university course; when we become dissatisfied with our job, career direction or course; and when we su fer trauma or health issues and lose the role we loved. I’ve been through all three and the worst was the latter one. When you finally found that role that fits you like a glove, you’re passionate about it, you love going to work, being part of the team and then everything is taken from beneath you. Not only have I experienced it, but I’ve also witnessed and stood beside thousands of police o ficers and Defence personnel going through this change once labelled ‘hurt on duty’ then medically discharged. How do we recover from this loss? Not only loss of something we loved, but loss of our mental health and perhaps physical health, loss of our passion and drive as well as loss of our purpose.

One thing I discovered on my journey through this is that my purpose was actually never lost, the way that I executed it needed changing. It will certainly be di ferent and when we get our head around that and it is okay, then opportunities start to arise. My purpose throughout life has always been education, motivational speaking and supporting others to be the best they can be. What I started to do post-police and navy in various roles, I could see that my drive, passion and purpose was still thriving. I just had to find the right avenue with my limitations.

After you decide to move forward, what happens next is truly amazing. It is like the shifting forces of nature were engulfing your whole being beforehand, even most days felt like you were trying to move in the opposite direction through a massive wind storm. Then, the day it all becomes too much, sand is flickering into your eyes disabling your sight and you feel totally exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally. It seems impossible to go on. At this point we have a choice and we think the choices are to give up or keep battling, but there is another choice. Let go. Let go of everything we are holding on tightly. Allow the storm to pass. Rest our mind and our body, then start working on the root cause slowly and steadily. Yes, it’s hard work, but the result is amazing. Things in life start to align again. We feel more connected to life, to friends, to nature, to the world! Indeed, we feel alive! We are survivors and becoming people who can empower others to reach that amazing place too.

Feel free to download a free tool on how to discover your purpose and meaning.

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Connection

If there was one golden key that we needed to find in life that we can’t live without, it would be connection. Our existence on this planet can only be because of our connection to all living things and beings. The more we connect with people, nature and animals, the more we will thrive. However, in the 21st Century, connection through the day has largely changed to be with technology! This takes us away from the very fabric of what connection actually means. 

As a society we are feeling more disempowered. Mental illnesses are on the rise. Suicide rates are higher than ever before. 3.96 billion people from around the globe are on social media every day for approximately 2 hours and our teenagers are glued to their smart phones or tablets for 7.5 hours per day on average!

What is this actually doing to our mental health and well-being? It is creating a culture of panic, fear, anxiety, depression, sadness, discontentment and loneliness. We are masking our true feelings through cute emojis and through an online presence that shows how good we are doing, not how bad we are feeling. It is forcing ourselves into a world screaming of attention, with a shallow mindset, creating more internal wounds.

The ability to engage and find people to connect and empower each other is possible! The way to find connection that brings empowerment and contentment is to engage physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually with others face to face, time in nature and with animals, caring for our planet and doing what is best for our growth. 

How much time do you spend with technology versus living things/beings? If the former is higher than the latter, then finding balance may be near impossible. Aim to connect with the “living” at least 50% of the day.

Mel

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Balance, Unity and Harmony

You definitely know when you feel balanced. Life feels goods. You are not exhausted. You are having that “top of the mountain” experience. Those moments that rarely happen. Can we help ourselves to be more in-tuned and more balanced? Yes. In fact, most of us most likely do the opposite of bringing balance, unity and harmony in our lives.

In my wellbeing research, regardless if you are a healthy adult or suffering from a mental health disorder or gone through trauma, a BALANCED LIFE was the lowest category.

What thoughts and behaviours do you have that unbalance you? The law of attraction theory states that we essentially become what we think about all day long. Do you dwell on what’s missing from your life? Do you have conversations heavily weighted with what’s lacking in your life? Do you cultivate an inner picture of yourself in the negative or being unlucky?

If you think scarcity, you will create scarcity. If you analyse shortages or downfalls constantly in your life, more will appear. If you talk negatively, you will attract more negatives and wonder why bad things keep happening in your life.

Seven thought systems that keep us being unbalanced in life:

  1. Not believing in yourself
    • instead enjoy the fullness of life, believe that you can do anything
  2. Making excuses
    • instead don’t limit yourself, there is an infinite supply of abundance, resources, what we need to live a full life
  3. Saying “I don’t deserve it”
    • instead cultivate an inner affirmation of who you really are, you are worthy, you are worth it
    • realign your desires with your thinking
  4. Believing you have limited abilities and talents
    • instead don’t compare yourself with others, you are a unique individual given abilities and talents just for you – some receive many (like me get bored easily), some receive a few (that’s all they need) and others receive one (as it is part of who they are to do one thing exceptionally well).
    • create an inner picture of yourself already living an abundant life, then become the abundance you desire utilising your gift/s
  5. Saying “I’ve never been lucky”
    • low negative thoughts attracts low energy (depression) instead positive calming thoughts in the spiritual activate the desires of your heart
    • no such thing as luck, accidents happens, it was a moment that went wrong
  6. Believing it’s always been this way
    • instead learn from your mistakes, keeping your thoughts on your past mistakes will guarantee them into your present moment!
    • rather, look upon your entire history as a series of steps you needed to take in order to bring you to this moment – you have everything you need for what is coming
    • restoring balance is releasing yourself from the past and focusing on the present and where you desire to be – doing meditation, Tai Chi, Qigong all helpful for this
  7. Saying “I don’t know how to think abundance for myself”
    • instead start saying to yourself “I am abundant. I am balanced with the desire of my heart aligned with my Creator. I will not think negatively about myself again.”

You are entitled to live a balanced abundant life. Start living it! Start believing it! Start aligning your desires and thoughts towards it.

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you, don’t go back to sleep.

Rumi, a Sudi poet

illness to wellness

Struggling with being mentally unwell is one thing and then when your body cannot stand it anymore, the physical illness signs start to show, especially if you are fighting against your mental health and not doing the best things you can to avoid stress.

I was certainly one of those people. I was under a great deal of stress and trauma for 6 months before I finally told someone. By the time I did, I was thrown in all sorts of directions and work in the navy didn’t help my cause. They kept me in the same place for 18 months where the triggers from the trauma existed strongly and my body couldn’t cope. Daily I was led to jumping off the edge.

I certainly understand looking back why my body withered away – inflammatory diseases, arthritis, hypertension, stacked on weight, most likely because I was drinking far too much to cope with the trauma and numb. So I wasn’t helping myself either and it took many years to accept this and take on the responsibility of my health.

I learned the more we can accept, the more we can take courage in taking that step forward. In going forwards, and not stopping, means we can find the best avenues towards recovery or living with the conditions we have. It is a balance. I still hold victory in my mind that one day I will be healed, but at the same time in knowledge of living with my mental and physical health conditions that I do what is best for me in this moment. That is all I can ever ask.

In finding balance, I have found that if I complete something I am passionate about in each of these areas on a daily basis, then I am doing okay.

Life is a spectrum

Have you ever felt so sad nothing could cheer you up? It’s like someone has sat on you, then sucked out all life.

Have you ever felt broken? It’s like every part of you is scattered into millions of pieces.

Have you ever felt trapped? It’s like the very person you know within you melts away each day as hot sun liquefies a glacier.

Have you ever felt open or somewhere in-between?

Life is a spectrum: broken to open