Living Life on Purpose 

 The question of “Do I Matter?” is an overarching concept that so many things fall beneath. Your sense of self-worth drives your performance in the world. It drives your productivity, how you treat others, your confidence, relationships, motivation and focus. And when you don’t feel like you matter, those things start to fall apart.

Before diving into this article, take out your journal and ask:

Who and what decides if I matter? And on a scale of 1-10, how much do I think I matter right now?

Analyzing Your Perceptions

For many of us, the ideas we have about self-worth are shaped by external sources. They come from our parents, peers, the things we spend time on every day, the way we show up in the world and the energy we feel. But the moment that you take back control of your own thoughts and emotions, you become more conscious, self-determined and self-reliant. YOU get to be the decider of your worth and impact. So as you think deeply about the question “Do I Matter?” try to determine if what you are attaching that perspective to is helping or hurting you.

How to Feel More Purpose

1. Integrate your goodness. You have a long list of accomplishments and you need to celebrate those wins more regularly. The meeting that went well, the feedback you got, the project you assisted with, the person you helped out…all of this matters. Instead of brushing past the good that you experience, it is your job to pause, recognize it and integrate it into your identity. Make it a daily practice to journal and capture your gratitude for the things that go well each day.
2. Feel the goodness of life. It takes conditioning to be able to connect to the present moment and FEEL the energy of the day. It takes mindfulness to be able to notice moments, have gratitude for them, and recognize the beauty around you. The fact that you have the freedom to choose where your attention goes is goodness in itself. You have to recognize the beauty in the world in order to recognize that YOU are a gift.
3. Strive and serve, free from outcome. Free yourself from the expectation of a specific outcome and engage with the process instead. Show up for the people you care about. Do your best. Serve your community. You will start to find more enjoyment in life when you allow for flexibility and remember that the small actions you take along the way are what matters most.
4. Spend more time on your interests and passions. Feel the zest and pop of life again by focusing on the things that fuel you! Again, the process matters. When you connect to what’s important to you, your skill sets, talents and capabilities, it contributes to the sense of purpose you feel.
5. Deepen your top 10 relationships. Deep, meaningful relationships with other people will cause you to feel more connected and joyous in life. Strengthen your relationships with your family and friends, or find community through volunteering and see how it transforms you.
6. Encourage others daily. Send someone a text, call them, drop a voice message or leave an encouraging note. Connect! In the world right now, so many people don’t feel like they matter because they’ve been pulled into the darkness of judgment, criticism, labeling and blaming. Choose to be the person who helps others believe in themselves again. Choose to be a force of goodness and in turn, you will FEEL good!

Ynot Raise the Bar