Purpose is an important element in a full and motivated life. Unfortunately, for those of us who have gone through a separation, divorce, death, or have become single parents for whatever reason–we might feel as though we are “in between” purposes or what we thought was our purpose has let us down and we are traveling through life without one. One of the tasks of rebuilding a life and getting strong again is to find and nurture a new or modified purpose…
The first step to finding a new purpose is to let go of the old one. Maybe you don’t have to let go of it all together, but you may need to process your grief and let go of your feelings about the things that have not worked out. For many of us, this can take a while–we might have had a very solid dream, idea or purpose for what we thought our lives would be about only to have things go awry in a very painful way. Now, we have to regroup and rediscover our purpose.
For me, focusing on my kids in a new way helped me to rediscover a purpose. I was able to realize that even though my marriage had failed, as had my attempts to be the perfect wife and partner, my dedication to motherhood was as strong as ever. Learning how to be a good single parent and a solid provider for my three kids took center stage. This was the foundation of my life’s new purpose. The other great thing that can come of searching for a new purpose is that you might find that you can focus on your own personal growth in new ways–you may find hidden talents and develop skills that you never knew you had. Discovering a new life’s purpose can be invigorating and life-affirming.
Also: What is Your Purpose in Life?