Are you living an empty life?

Many people are in jobs they don’t like just to make a living. They let their academic papers dictate how to lead their lives. Sadly, many die without ever finding out their purpose in life, writes MAUREEN AKINYI Do you know your purpose in life? Do you know why you were created? Is it just to work, get Winnie Thuku-Craigmarried and have children? Most of us have no inkling what our purpose on this earth is. Our life is so monotonous and routine it revolves around our work and family.But as a woman, it is important to know your purpose in life. Having a clear purpose for your life enhances your quality of life.Leading author Jason Mason says you are not truly free until you actively pursue and have been made captive by your supreme mission in life. He goes on to add that if a man hasn’t discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live. Many people discover their purpose after a sad or tragic event like an accident or the death of a loved one. As we usher in the New Year tomorrow, we bring you two women who were awakened to their purpose in life after tragedy struck.Winnie Thuku-Craig and Bright Oywa provide pointers on how to discover your purpose in life:Winnie Thuku-Craig Motivational Speaker and author "Many of us go through life without ever discovering the special purpose we were created for. We are blind to the gap we are meant to fill here on earth. Bright OywaWe are in jobs we don’t like just to make a living. We let our academic papers dictate to us how we are supposed to be spending our lives. Sadly, most people die without ever finding out what and who they were meant to be.Some people are good at their jobs but have a tendency of moving from one job to another even when the pay is good. Why? Some have gone the extra mile of changing careers, but the meaninglessness of life still abides.So how do you know what or who you are meant to be? I think the question should be what makes you feel alive? Remove the money factor: What is it you do that makes you feel that you have done something satisfying to your heart? What is it that even when you have struggled to do you can still afford a smile at the end of the day? That is how you know if you are following your heart or not. That is how you know if you are living your dream. Do you have a passion that if someone offered you money to live your passion you would leave your current job?Meaningless lifeIs it a talent that is hidden deep inside you but for some reason you keep convincing yourself that you have papers in another field? Whatever it is that God chose you to be, He put it in you and most times we are the ones that deny Him the chance to open our eyes to the possibilities of what is purposely yours.You will find that when it comes to fulfilling your purpose, there is a special grace that God gives you to do what you are supposed to do effortlessly. It is not always a smooth sail, but there is always the satisfaction that you have a meaningful life.It took me 28 years, and the loss of my baby, to awaken me to the realisation that I was living an empty life. It was a ‘safe’ life expecting a salary at the end of every month. I could never have figured myself, with all my ‘education’ and experience, standing in front of school girls and inspiring them to be the best they can be. I hardly had time for myself, so how could I get time for others? Maybe that is why God had to corner me so I could have a taste of what goes on outside office life. Losing my baby created a void that my career could not fill. No amount of money could fill that void.Today I write inspirational books and give motivational talks. I can tell you the pay cheque may not be as good, but the satisfaction that comes from a mother calling to say she wanted to commit suicide but someone blessed her with my book and it changed her, is more than enough.For me, that is enough reason for me to know that this is what I was born to do. There are days I dedicate to free online counselling on Facebook. It does not pay my bills, but it brings me joy. That to me is purpose."Bright OywaExecutive Director, Association for Safe International Road Travel-Kenya"How do you discover your real purpose in life? I’m not talking about your job, your daily responsibilities, or even your long-term goals. I mean the real reason why you’re here at all — the very reason you exist.Discovering your purpose is finding your mission statement. Everyone comes to planet earth to do something; to make a contribution to life —&#8239;that is purpose. More than a role or a job you love, finding your purpose is about knowing who you are and what you are here for. We must find out where we are at. It is hard to change anything, including yourself, if you do not know where you are now. What is the difference between the dreamer who realises his dream, and the dreamer whose dream becomes a nightmare of unfulfilled hopes? The dreamer who succeeds is someone who has a clear vision and acts on it. Identity crisisLife is where you play out your mission — job or no job! If you place responsibility on your job to contain the whole of your mission, job loss, retirement or change is likely to mean a huge identity crisis. How would you be different today if you knew that the hurt, loss and pain of your past were not for nothing? That those events have shaped and even given birth to the value you can add to the world today? Within our stories are secrets and clues to our personal jewels or strengths. It is important for each woman to strive hard and achieve the best, but reaching the top of the professional or social ladder is meaningless if it sacrifices personal gratification and wellbeing. We should strive to find our own special niche and work towards our dreams.Career success does not automatically yield the desired end of personal fulfillment, which is the only true measure of success. Sometimes we find purpose after tragedy strikes and we are forced to look into ourselves to find the hidden potential that is necessary in fulfilling our mission.Now that I have walked that journey, I believe that we should not wait to go through a traumatic experience to find purpose. Acquiring disability from a car crash several years ago helped me clarify my purpose. I was brought to the reality of my mortality. When things that you hold dear diminish in a split second, when those you consider close walk away when you need them most, when life takes a dip and your body does not function like it used to, you need more than a good job to move on. You will need to find a reason to keep going. The best place to begin is with God, even though He may not make sense at that point. I find great fulfillment working with people whose lives have changed abruptly, people who have been through traumatic experience. No matter how old you are, no matter your current situation, you can begin right now the journey to purpose and destiny. It takes hard work and commitment for you to have lasting success.As women we need to lead lives that are meaningful and impactful. Each of us has the potential to be all we may want to be. We are uniquely wired to fulfill our objectives. Let us maximise this potential. Finally, I leave you with the words of Steve Jobs: "Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life."

Are you living an empty life?

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