Purposeful Evening

Ever wonder what you are meant to do with your life? Ever wonder what your purpose in life is? This is a question that is always on my mind. I think about all of the opportunities I have had in life and the obstacles that I have walked through already and I constantly wonder if I am living a purposeful life?

I believe that we are all born with certain gifts and purposes for our lives. We spend our lives discovering what they are, developing them and finding a way to use them for the common good of everyone. I went through a phase in my life where I knew what things interested me, but I didn't know what things I was actually good at and how to develop those gifts. I spent many years trying to do the things that everyone else was doing, so I could be good at those things too. I spent many years "people pleasing" because it was easier to follow what other people wanted to do, thought and believed than to find my own voice in things, even if it meant I was standing alone. I started feeling uncomfortable with stating I was okay with things or believed certain things when I really did not believe or think the same way. I felt uncomfortable with always "following" what others did and "shelving" the things I was good at or passionate about.

One day, I was determined to find out what my gifts were, what things I was good at and what on earth am I here for? "WHAT IS MY PURPOSE IN LIFE?", was a question that always seemed to elude me. I began to make a list of the things that I was either good at, or really enjoyed. These were some of the things that I listed:

• I am good at writing.
• I love music.
• I am good at making people smile.
• I love helping others.
• I am good at time management.
• I am a great friend and a very honest/trustworthy person.
• I want to teach children.
• I enjoy inspirational movies/shows and trying to implement changes in my life.
• I want to make a difference in this world.
• I want people to remember me and my life because I inspired them in some way.

After looking at these things, I began to realize that I have MANY gifts and talents that I was given, I just haven't been using them to their full potential. When I started developing my passion for writing aside from writing letters (yes, I still hand write letters), I noticed that I was naturally pretty good at it. I have taken many writing courses in college, and I have always done really well with any stories or papers that I have had to write. I have even had college instructors ask permission to use my work as an example for future courses. : )

Making people smile and making their day just a bit brighter is a daily personal goal that I make a point of accomplishing. There is a joy and pure pleasure in seeing someone else smile and knowing that you were the reason they are laughing and feel just a bit better than they did before. If you ask my sister Heather, she will tell you that she loves spending time hanging out because we are goofy, we play Mario Kart on her Wii, we talk about things going on and we have at times those "stupid" conversations that just make you die from laughter. : ) **Heather: I will never forget our "What does a girl toad say to a guy toad when they flirt with each other?" and the latest "I wanna be Ding Dong" conversations! I think we laughed so hard we were crying for quite a bit. : )

The things that I do in my daily life, I try to do with others in mind. I try my hardest to treat others how I would like to be treated and if I can make at least one person smile, well then my goal for the day has been met.

I've come to realize that God has given me these talents, desires, and dreams for a purpose. I do not have it "all figured out" as I learn more about myself each day, but I know that I am to use these talents for good and to bless the lives of the people around me. No matter if that is helping them out with something or even something as small as a smile or a "Hello".

What is your purpose? : )

~Melissa