How do you find yourself and your purpose?

TheDreamIsee

Enjoy learning who you are...if your life and it's purpose was just spoon fed to you it would be incredibly boring...I really like looking back at things that I did not understand and say, "that is why that happened" or "that is why that is"...it always amazes me how things seem to happen just the way they are supposed to when you see the succession of events unfold in your life.

I just started reading this book and I am about halfway through...it is a lot of common sense things, but it is very enlightening...If you enjoy Herman Hesse at all, you will really appreciate this book.
http://www.amazon.com/New-Earth-Awakening-Purpose-Selection/dp/0452289963/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204244270&sr=8-1

Jeanie

MattCameronKicksButt wrote:

Me too. :(

Nope... nothining funny to add...

They have that quote on one of those "Inspirational" framed pictures you can buy here. It's a ship run a ground in the picture. I've always thought I should just buy it and be done with it!

Jeanie

chiquimonkey wrote:

sounds about right for me. just paint a biohazard symbol on my gravestone and call it a day lol

ooh! Now that sounds good!

I was gonna go with Ned Kelly's last words for my gravestone if I had one.

"such is life"

Spunkie

"To fart around."
-The late Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

genie

tish wrote:

"To fart around."
-The late Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

one of the wisest suggestions i've heard in here

Spunkie

Or you could try a magic 8 ball to find your purpose?

GreenTeaDisease

radiohead33 wrote:

I think this could be the most important part of one’s life. It’s the quintessential American dream. Who am I? What is my purpose? What’s my calling? As Hermann Hesse put it “mans true profession is to find the way to himself”.

The flip side being, I cant think of a worse feeling, than not knowing who you are and what your calling is. Its tough to not know who you are. I am 23 and have lived in this body for 23 years, I know my likes and dislikes, but as for who I am, and my direction in life, I haven’t a clue.

I have a sociology degree, I pursued that because I loved and still love activism and helping people and having a degree that is political in nature. However, even with the degree and knowing that I love those things, if someone was to ask me today, which they did “what’s your ideal job” and “what do you want to have a career in”, I couldn’t answer that question. I haven’t the foggiest idea how to answer it. I am completely and utterly lost and confused.

In college these questions became paramount to me, and now it seems like they are always lingering over my head. Constantly bothering me.

I would be interested to hear from those who have found their purpose and themselves, and to see if they have any advice.

Anyone else here trying to find themselves and their purpose?

I think is a very common problem among 23-24 year-olds out of college. The thing is, you don't *have* to find your "purpose." Not yet anyway. It will come to you over time. Right now you just have to try things out and see where it takes you. When I was 23 I was on a path to getting a PhD in economics. suddenly I decided that it wasn't for me and FREAKED OUT. but a very wise ex-professor of mine told me to just go with the flow...I did and a few years later I found the perfect professional degree program for me...and now I'm done with it and not thrilled with my job, and that depresses me to a degree, but I also know that I have to be *doing something* and it will all come out eventually. I'm 30 and I'm not quite sure what it's all about yet...

I don't know if that helps at all. I know it is so confusing in your early-mid 20s. probably 90% of the population goes through it. just keep your eyes open for all opportunities. Even if something isn't perfect, just do it, try it out.

LONGRD

brain of c wrote:

dream job?

work in the adult industry.

oh, wait.

that is my job.

you're a Chippendale dancer?

soulsinging

radiohead33 wrote:

I think this could be the most important part of one’s life. It’s the quintessential American dream. Who am I? What is my purpose? What’s my calling? As Hermann Hesse put it “mans true profession is to find the way to himself”.

The flip side being, I cant think of a worse feeling, than not knowing who you are and what your calling is. Its tough to not know who you are. I am 23 and have lived in this body for 23 years, I know my likes and dislikes, but as for who I am, and my direction in life, I haven’t a clue.

I have a sociology degree, I pursued that because I loved and still love activism and helping people and having a degree that is political in nature. However, even with the degree and knowing that I love those things, if someone was to ask me today, which they did “what’s your ideal job” and “what do you want to have a career in”, I couldn’t answer that question. I haven’t the foggiest idea how to answer it. I am completely and utterly lost and confused.

In college these questions became paramount to me, and now it seems like they are always lingering over my head. Constantly bothering me.

I would be interested to hear from those who have found their purpose and themselves, and to see if they have any advice.

Anyone else here trying to find themselves and their purpose?

im 26, more than halfway through law school, and still have no clue. what's the rush? why limit myself?

genie

GreenTeaDisease wrote:

Even if something isn't perfect, just do it, try it out.

and if it's stresses you out a lot, then quit it. just don't get into a habit of quiting things at first sign of trouble

genie

brain of c wrote:

dream job?

work in the adult industry.

oh, wait.

that is my job.

haha, you know it's sounds great, but it's frowned upon plus it might get all a bit too much for me, also i might not want to do guys that i'm supposed to do being a dominatrix on the other hand, is fun. i would actually seriously consider having this kind of profession if someone offers me this job

PJ_Saluki

This will probably sound dickish, but then again, I'm a dick: Purrpose? Are you serious? What the hell does that even mean? And why the hell does everybody need a purpose? I'm pretty lucky, in one sense, because I enjoy what I do. On the other hand, I don't make shit for money (at least not at the moment). And I know, I know, I know...money isn't everything. You're damn right it isn't, but having some bullshit job isn't a purpose either. Get up in the morning, take care of some shit, try not to screw other people over, treat others with the amount of respect they earn, don't be mean to those weaker than you, don't become so obsessed with yourself that you want to go crazy, and don't worry about it. Things have a way of working out. If we sit around and wonder about what our purpose is, we could miss something cool. Plus, 90 percent of the stuff in life isn't special at all. Even childbirth -- the bestest, most specialist thing any of us can do -- isn't all that special. Happens hundreds of thousands of times a day. Just be glad they haven't planted you yet and keep on moving. You'll be dead before you know it.

genie

PJ_Saluki wrote:

Even childbirth -- the bestest, most specialist thing any of us can do -- isn't all that special.

love is special

Heineken Helen

TheDreamIsee wrote:

Enjoy learning who you are...if your life and it's purpose was just spoon fed to you it would be incredibly boring...I really like looking back at things that I did not understand and say, "that is why that happened" or "that is why that is"...it always amazes me how things seem to happen just the way they are supposed to when you see the succession of events unfold in your life.

I just started reading this book and I am about halfway through...it is a lot of common sense things, but it is very enlightening...If you enjoy Herman Hesse at all, you will really appreciate this book.
http://www.amazon.com/New-Earth-Awakening-Purpose-Selection/dp/0452289963/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204244270&sr=8-1

what a great post I really go by that... the hard things are pretty tough to get through BUT they have always turned my life into a better direction than where it was going so they've all been worth it. I wouldn't change any of the bad stuff, I might take more risks if I had to do it again but all in all it's been a pretty fun ride and I can't wait to see what comes next I just love life

Heineken Helen

soulsinging wrote:

im 26, more than halfway through law school, and still have no clue. what's the rush? why limit myself?

exactly... why must we only have ONE purpose, or any at all? Just fucking enjoy every opportunity that comes your way. I think I've several 'purposes' I've just yet to discover what they are although I've found a few of them.

Hinny

My search for a purpose ended when I realised the purpose is simply to develop yourself forever and ever. To embrace the unknown, and cherish the known. It is not enough to simply accept what is, but also to maintain a drive for discovering what isn't apparent already, for curiosity is the one thing that civilisation is based on above all else.

The key point is it's not going to come across as a singular moment in time when you snap out of a daze and think, HEY, I'VE GOT IT!. It's more going to be along the lines of 'y'know what? I feel really good about myself, and this feeling's been there for a while and everything just seems right, even when the small things could be a bit better.'

soulsinging

Heineken Helen wrote:

exactly... why must we only have ONE purpose, or any at all? Just fucking enjoy every opportunity that comes your way. I think I've several 'purposes' I've just yet to discover what they are although I've found a few of them.

i know i've got several. one of them is to annoy the bejesus out of you

dunkman

finding yourself and finding your purpose is all just hippy speak to me... how do you 'find youself'... unless you have Alzeheimers and your playing a 1man game of Hide and Seek...


so in my vastly superior opinion, its just hippy gobbledegook

MattCameronKicksButt

dunkman wrote:

finding yourself and finding your purpose is all just hippy speak to me... how do you 'find youself'... unless you have Alzeheimers and your playing a 1man game of Hide and Seek...


so in my vastly superior opinion, its just hippy gobbledegook

'In my vastly superior opinion' - I like that.

It's not hippie shit. I just think that people were talking about not trundleling (Is that a word)? along in life but having a goal - In my vastly superior opinion.

Heineken Helen

soulsinging wrote:

i know i've got several. one of them is to annoy the bejesus out of you

well you'd wanna find another one pretty quick cos you're failing miserably at that one

I LOVE arguing with you sweetypie