What does it mean to live a life with purpose? How do I get there? Why would I want to? What difference will it make? What does it feel like? How will I know?
These, and questions like these, have plagued humanity for centuries. Countless numbers of religions, cults, communities, clubs, and groups have been formed on this premise. Humans have been searching for meaning and a point to their existence since the beginning of our written history. I find this topic not only fascinating, but intriguing as to the answers to these questions.
As I look around our world today, I see so much pain, loneliness, confusion, illness, and sorrow. It seems that so many people are searching for a place to feel like they belong, or matter, and that someone cares whether they inhabit this planet or not. This is the reason for this column. Gautama Buddha said, “Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it.” I want to explore these ideas with you, and share my own experiences in the quest of not only redefining and discovering my purpose, but hopefully, helping others out in this vast universe of ours to find their own.
So, where do we start? A plethora of books — literally thousands — have been written on this subject. One could read a book every day for the rest of his/her life and never get through them all. It would be like searching for a jellybean in a cornfield; not to mention the thousands of journal articles, websites, blogs, and professional speakers on the subject. It would take a lifetime of reading, sorting, and analyzing to weed through all of the opinions and theories available to one today. My advice? I would have to go with the Buddhist proverb on this one that says, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”
Do not misunderstand me here — I am not saying that I don’t think you should read (and read a lot!), because I do. I also think you should question the values you have been taught, the validity of your own beliefs, learn about other cultures, and try to develop empathy and a basic understanding of other humans’ belief systems. I most definitely do! What I interpret this quote to be saying is that when you are ready to learn and open to accepting new ideas, you will see they were right in front of you the whole time. Opportunities will present themselves on their own if you are open to them, and teachers will appear. So, open your eyes, and your heart, and take notice of what information comes to you.
As important as I believe knowledge is, and having an understanding of our fellow travelers on this bumpy and messy road we call life, I think that finding one’s own purpose is not going to come from any book, religion, club, or outside entity. I believe it has to come from within oneself. I think this is where one needs to start in discovering their own purpose. Start inside yourself. Ralph Waldo Emerson put it well when he said, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
As I think about this quote, I recognize all of the many hats most of us wear: Parent, sibling, child, friend, coach, teacher, professional, adult, student, caregiver, breadwinner, etc., not to mention all of the pressures put on us by our fast-paced media-based lifestyles, and what society, family, and our culture in general tells us about who, how, and what we are supposed to be. I could go on and on. All of these outside entities and responsibilities can make it very hard to be able to either take the time, or even be able to listen to what our own inner voice is saying. But, in the search for finding one’s purpose, I believe the first step is find out who you are. So, take the time to slow down and listen. Be open to what the teacher inside of you is saying.
I love this quote by Plato: “The man who makes everything that leads to happiness depends upon himself, and not upon other men, has adopted the very best plan for living happily…” So, I will leave you with these thoughts to ponder: What makes me feel alive? What excites me and makes me feel connected with something? What fills my heart with joy or love?
Who knows? You might just meet some great teachers along the way, the most amazing of which is yourself.
Heather Hymas has been a teacher in one form or another for the past 14 years. She taught fourth grade for seven years, has worked at the intermediate level, taught college English for a semester at Dixie State University and then the following year at Southern Utah University, before deciding to take a job working with troubled youth. She is currently works as a teacher in a residential treatment center. Heather has a B.S. in elementary education, a minor in English, and a Master’s degree in education. She lives in St. George with her teenage daughter and three dogs. 
