2 Minute Read: #FindYourPurpose by Lindsey Clute

For the past few years, I’ve had the hashtag, #findyourpurpose in my social media bios. I have no idea why. I think one day I was contemplating the importance of it, or maybe I was tweeting and the hashtag seemed fitting — I honestly don’t remember. But ever since then, it’s has such a recurring presence in my mind.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve really started to think more about what finding my purpose looks like. What is my purpose? How am I going to achieve said purpose? What if I never do? Why do I seem so far behind?

For as long as I can remember, even when I was little, I’ve felt a weight on my shoulders telling me I was meant to be doing something else. I don’t know why or what it could possibly be. It's kind of been eating away at me for a long time. I think a lot of us expect our purpose to look like becoming famous overnight or becoming the next “IT girl” on Instagram. No, that’s not what I’m talking about. We’ve been taught to think small. In this generation, it feels like we’ve lost sight of why we’re here and what we can accomplish. It’s sad, but not many people are actively pursuing a better life. We’ve all just kind of... settled. It’s hard to break away when you’re surrounded by people telling you what you should and shouldn’t do — what’s normal and what’s not.

We often let obstacles and distractions in our everyday lives get in the way of becoming the best we can be. Obstacles differ, but partying, drugs, the cliché, and most dangerously, the comfort zone, are some of the biggest things that society has normalized. Things don’t get achieved when you’re stuck in the comfort zone or wasting some of your best years at a frat party that society tells you is “cool,” (just my point of view as a college student). Even if you have a job that you hate or if you just feel stuck, you know what your obstacles are. Everyone has them. The biggest things that get in our way is the inevitable factors of life. We get so caught up in regularity and a routine schedule that we don’t even consider what else is out there.

To me, it all comes down to who you surround yourself with. Find friends that have similar morals to you and are also seeking growth that will help challenge you. It’s important to have friends that recognize that having standards doesn’t make you weird, it makes you aware.

I saw a quote the other day that’s kind of perfect:

“By embracing your calling and refusing to hide your glow, you wouldn’t just make your world brighter, you’d light the way for the women who come behind you.” --Rachel Hollis

If you give up on your purpose in life, whatever it may be, you could be giving up having a positive impact on other people. The potential you achieve will make a difference in your life and to many others. The main point I want to get across is don’t just go with the flow. Don't think that you have to settle or do what everybody else is doing. It’s the people who are able to break away from these things and chase after something bigger that make it to the top. I know for a fact that there’s way more out there for everybody than there seems and SO many opportunities to explore.

I don’t have all the answers, but I do know that sitting back and getting wasted every weekend or planning your life around your favorite TV show (don’t worry, I’m guilty of the occasional Netflix binge too) isn’t going to help us to achieve anything. Don’t get caught in an endless cycle of norms when you can challenge yourself to do or be something really cool. If you look for something long enough, you’re bound to find it, and when you do, it’ll be worth it. There might not be just one thing you’re meant to do. You could succeed at a lot of things. Find something you’re passionate about and boom, go for it. You can always be better and so can I, so, let's strive to do something bigger! Strive to #findyourpurpose.