Should we have a purpose?

How do I scratch the purpose itch?

Hello there you.

I’m curious, would you say you have a purpose?

Do you want one?

I’m feeling a bit of a purpose itch at the moment. It’s quite novel as I’m usually a purposeful gal. I’ve always got something on the go outside of ‘work’ which is my anchor or beacon. 

For ages it was my (still effing unfinished) novel. I thought about it every single day. I did something on it, not every day, but the majority of the time. 

Recently though, I feel like I’ve outgrown my novel WiP. (And I’m trying to get curious about whether this is actually the case or if I’m just scared to finish the bugger). 

So, I’m missing having something meaty to get my teeth into. I’m missing that feeling of waking up and knowing I have a mission to get on with. 

I’ve found myself perusing the ‘self help’ section of the library quite heavily. And listening to lots of purpose-y podcasts like The Mel Robbins Podcast which I’m very much enjoying atm.

I’ve just collected a book called ‘Freedom Seeker’ by Beth Kempton from the libes. 

Part of the blurb says; “Are you itching to do something different, but don't know what or how?” - Yes Beth, that is meeee. 

Apparently she’s going to help me find clarity and feel freer and happier every single day. I’m well up for a bit of this. 

I’ve also just read one called Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans (Stanford Uni brainboxes) which I quite enjoyed thanks to its very practical step by step instructions on how to do it. This has partly involved lots of mind mapping and post-it notes. And lots of noticing what gives me that ‘sparkle in the belly excitement’ vs what makes my heart sink into my bum. (Spreadsheets, always.)

It’s partly what has nudged me into starting this Substack. Heeeey there if you’re reading this. Thanks for being here on my life designing experiment. Thinking of you reading this definitely gives me the belly sparkles.

I’m very fortunate to have been having therapy recently and his helpful observation today was that this itch could be my reaction to ‘getting closer to my true self’. I mean, WOAH. I’ll take that. 

Perhaps writing here is my purpose. Perhaps it’s not. Perhaps discovering my purpose is my purpose for now.

Okay, I’ll stop saying purpose. 

I’d love to hear yours or whether you think it’s a load of rubbish. And I’ll let you know if Beth helps me to find my freedom. 

Janelle x