The Purpose Driven Journey
Photo by JD Mason
I recently saw a Facebook post that grabbed my attention. It caused me to stop, pause, and say the words written on the screen out loud. The impact of the 10 simple words left me in deep reflection.
The post said this:
Photo courtesy of Karla Scipio.
It wasn’t a new revelation, just a different perspective of prior thoughts. This revelation emphasized that everything that I have experienced in my life, whether by my own choice or that of another, was used to help shape who I am today.
Whether we live in a small town or a large city, in the south or north, we all have many things in common. We each have a unique journey filled with memories. Our life journey is memorable, it is filled with impressive moments. We often remember the moments, days, people, incidents, and how they made us feel. These memories are awards given to us by life, they help to create the person we are becoming, and they can be used positively or negatively.
In the last year or so I’ve become more interested in how our experiences, both negatives and positives, shape our individuality, identity, and lead us into our purpose. I have considered the questions,
“Who would I be without certain experiences? Would my life, personality, views, and purpose be completely different today if I did not live my exact experiences?”
Everyone’s journey is guaranteed to be unique, yet, still, it is capable of motivating and encouraging others. Some of us remember our first friend, playing in the schoolyard with friends, our first job, our first kiss, or moving away from home. We also remember the negative incidents, some of which are hidden so deeply in our consciousness that we forget they existed until something happens that triggers that memory. It could be a smell, song, word, or the voice of a stranger on the street.
Parts of our journey tend to dictate our next steps. Imagine walking down the street and you come to a four-way stop sign and the roads ahead are blocked by a serious accident. At that intersection, you have to make a decision. You cannot go forward because the road is blocked and filled with bits and pieces of glass and metal. You turn and go down a street that you have never traversed before. You see luscious green fields filled with fruits of all kinds -- peaches, strawberries, and pecans. In one day, you can have mountain high and valley low experiences. Which one do you focus on?
The roughness of our journey tends to develop our muscles. It teaches us, and it helps set our perspectives and mindsets. We learn how to develop, how to strategize. It helps us see what is necessary, and important. It helps us see what strategies are needed to navigate life’s twists and turns.
Years ago, life happened. I went through a painful separation and divorce. As a single mother, caretaker, and provider, I was responsible for two teenagers, a pre-teen and an 8-year-old. At that time, we lived in a small southern city far away from our family and friends. A year after my separation, life started looking up. I was able to purchase my first home. I thought that things were changing for the better and then, boom, my 8-year-old started acting out in school and at home.
I wasn’t sure what to do, it became evident to my co-workers, who had become our family, that I was having difficulties at home. I did everything possible in my own strength. I enrolled him in a mentorship program, counseling at the office and at church, but nothing worked. In the middle of my shift, I would get calls from my son’s school, or I would have to leave work immediately and pick him up. These kind men and women stepped in with words of encouragement, prayer, fasting, praying, and offered to babysit so I could have some time for myself.
Now, I realize that portion of my journey was instrumental in preparing my heart and myself for today. I chose to set my mind on the positive things that were developed in me during that time. Those moments were used to fuel my passion and desire to make a difference in the lives of women and children.
In my journey, I have encountered countless women and girls from various backgrounds who are broken and struggling because of life challenges, trauma, and toxic mindsets. As caretakers of their families, many were clueless on how to successfully navigate these challenges. My passion to help women heal was born and fueled by these encounters.
Coaching became a normal part of my daily life as I used my experience and training to work with women and girls who had been crippled by toxic mindsets, perspectives, and the unattainable standards of society. I believe that investing in your greatest resource, “Yourself” is an important step in living a successful and healthy life.
I learned to accept the love and wise counsel of others, to lean heavily on my spiritual source, and to know that prayer changes things and does make a difference. Most importantly, it taught me the importance of putting love in action by giving back.
“I believe that our journey shapes and prepares us for our purpose.”
Our mindsets and perspectives determine our altitude and attitudes. If we remain fixated on the negatives, it chains us to the incidents and our past. We will keep visiting the same mountain or repeating the same classes. I encourage you to confront your past, release the negativity, forgive yourself and others, so you can embrace the positive, be healed, and leave a powerful legacy.