Prioritizing Our Purpose Even in the Midst of Uncertainty
For my husband & I, this week marks 55 days of isolation.
55 days of uneven sleep patterns.
55 days of more dishes and laundry than I’m used to.
55 days and nights of increased anxiety about the impact of all of this.
55 days of worrying about my parents’ & in-laws’ health.
55 days of having to alter my old routine.
55 days of washing my hands constantly.
55 days of thinking about germs and who I come into contact with.
55 days of asking once more, how far is 6 feet?
55 days of being within 35 feet of my partner at all times (whom I still adore, but y’all.)
55 days of only seeing everyone else I love through the computer screen.
55 days of varying emotions and productivity levels.
This emotional & physical exhaustion came over me when I sat in the car crying because I simply didn’t want to wash and sanitize my groceries. Again. (I realize that all things considered, I still have it more than good during COVID-19. For our health and jobs and home, I am beyond grateful.) But that’s just where we are this week.
Of course, my tears weren’t just about the groceries. I was feeling off balance & unaligned, mentally and emotionally. And it was in the driveway where I finally realized:
1.The new forced routine is getting old. And it’s making the old intentional routine feel stale.
The creative and intentional rhythms that once helped me rebel against the mediocrity of my week are now the very things that feel common. The once common parts of my schedule combined with an uncertain future now make me feel stuck.
2. Fifty five days is enough time to create new habits—healthy, okay-ish, or unhealthy ones. I’ve fallen into some unproductive ones, myself recently.
Humans create habits and routines without even realizing it. Just look at what you do after you wake up each day—even if you don’t have a structured morning routine, I can almost promise you that you wake up, pee, brush your teeth, open you phone, and shower in the same order around the same time each day.
What we are trying to do is capture those natural routines & make sure they are serving us, not the other way around. Because the other truth is: humans are relatively complacent by nature too. Without really being intentional about it, chances are we are not going to go out of our way to start a healthier habit if the one we have is okay-ish.
However, sometimes we can let our okay-ish habit slip into an unhealthy habit. That, my friends, is a red flag. When we are no longer in the routine of taking care of our basic needs, we are no longer aligned with our authentic, healthy selves.
Which leads me to a deeper truth I already knew but apparently needed to learn again:
3. When our sense of purpose starts to slip away, we have to revisit and re-establish our goals.
Goals align us; they give us direction to follow. They remind us of our opportunity to take control of our lives and to live purposefully, with a mission.
The beautiful thing about living a purposed life is you can do so regardless of circumstances.
So, that of course, leads us to the bigger question for all of us:
How do we capture our thoughts and routines and continue to live with our unique mission in the midst of total uncertainty?
I don’t pretend to be an expert. But I do know for me, it means getting clear on my goals and brainstorming new ways to live out my purpose so I feel aligned daily.
To break that down really simply, here’s what it means for me:
My live with a mission statement is: I want to use my gifts for building relationships, writing things, and empowering others, and my passions for wellness, simplicity, and food to create an impact on my community and friends because I value women, faith, and belonging.
So to find news ways of living this out, I’d journal and ask myself:
What current rhythms are helping me in this pursuit?
Which rhythms are preventing or distracting me? Why am I continuing with them? Is there a way/need to let them go OR to reshape them?
What gifts or resources do I have now? How can I use those?
Brainstorm: what are other ways I can [build relationships] right now?
Brainstorm: what are other ways I can[ express myself and create]?
Brainstorm: what are other ways I can [encourage others]?
Brainstorm: what are other ways I can discover more about my passions? How can I more intentionally make space for [wellness] in my life? For [simplicity]? For [gathering around the table & sharing food]?
Brainstorm: How can I continue to support and value [the voices of other women] right now? How do I prioritize [my faith]? How can I cultivate a better sense of [belonging for myself and others]?
My brainstorm may look something like this:
Connect with friends and family through zoom calls
Write letters
“Adopt” a high school senior to celebrate this graduation season
Intentionally walk in the neighborhood to wave to others
Bring bread to friends’ houses
Try new bread recipes & learn the science behind baking
Share recipes I’ve been loving
Write for this blog
Take photos of small joys & share it with others
Be honest about my own emotions and experience right now
Get my hands dirty in the garden
Continue learning and practicing with watercolors and acrylic paint
Focus on a new fun house project
Keep a personal journal
Read to friends’ kids virtually
Coach clients and offer free Discovery Calls
Up my meme game for texting friends
Memorizing new mantras to help capture & replace my negative thoughts
Shout the worth of women I admire who own small businesses
Prioritize moving my body each day & getting in the sunshine
The beautiful part about brainstorming is that you don’t have to do (or like) it all!
The next step is to circle what sounds good to you, underline what you may want to explore some more, and cross out the ideas you simply don’t like.
Then you create a plan and simply begin. Ask yourself: what’s my first step? What are simple ways I can add this to my routine? Or, how can I tweak current rhythms to get a similar result?
Just by writing it out my live with a mission statement and coming up with a few options, I’m already feeling more empowered which is a complete 180 from when I started writing today.
And that, my friend, is the truest truth I know: when we do not feel aligned, we have to get back to the roots of who we are and what makes us sing. We have to be honest about what we are feeling, but also honest about what we have to offer. We have to come up with new ways of doing old things and change our perspective. We have to cling to what we know is true for us and about us, because that is the only way we pull ourselves out of the muck and mire.
If you don’t already have one, I’d encourage you to come up with your live with a mission statement today. If you are sure where to get started, let’s schedule a discovery call together. Discovery calls are complementary, commitment free calls that help you gain clarity and direction! Simply fill out this questionnaire to see if you qualify & we’ll get it set up right away.
