Are you struggling to find purpose in your life?

What if I told you that your greatest struggle could be the key to help you find purpose in life?

Now, depending on what struggle just came to mind when you read that, you may or may not be thinking I just said something completely crazy. But guess what? 

My biggest struggle in life didn’t just help me grow and succeed…it helped me find my purpose.

The truth is, struggles are an inevitable part of human existence. As they say, you can’t get a rainbow without a little rain! 

While they won’t look the same for everyone, there is certainty that you will struggle with something in your lifetime. This could be related to your health, finances, relationships, your career, or a hundred other things. At the end of the day, you will cross paths with obstacles.

The thing that makes you unique is how you decide to move forward from those struggles and how you use them to find purpose.

I personally think that the idea of struggling and failing gets a bad rap. Here’s what I have found through my own personal experience: Struggle can be one of the greatest gifts we will ever receive!

It’s all about perspective.

Why is it important to find purpose in your life?

Living without purpose is like setting your car on cruise control. Instead of being an active participant in controlling your life, you will simply be riding along. Sure, you will be able to move through life, but you won’t be doing what you’re truly hungry for. 

Even worse than putting your car on cruise control, living without purpose might enable someone else to get in and drive the car for you. That will lead you to living life on someone else’s terms and never feeling content or fulfilled. 

While it might seem overwhelming or intimidating to “find purpose” in your life, all we really mean by that is finding what sets your heart on fire. It means discovering the thing that will make you excited to wake up every morning. Finding your purpose will help you lead a life that you are in love with and proud of. 

Keep reading to see how your struggles might just help you get to your purpose.

Tips for using your struggles to find purpose

1. Trust in your journey

Many times, our initial reaction when we begin to struggle with something is to feel like a victim. We assume that the world is out to get us, we feel the need to give up and shut down, and we blame the universe for handing us something we couldn’t overcome. 

Hint: That’s not a good way to react.

So often in life we focus on our own challenges, but we must remember there is a whole world out there and everyone goes through something. You aren’t as alone as you might feel.

In order to own your struggle and make it become a positive lesson learned, you need to believe that you are right where you’re meant to be. Instead of immediately jumping to the conclusion that the world is out to get you, listen to your heart and inner voice and let it guide you.

Understand that this is just one chapter in your life. You need to be prepared to feel uncomfortable if you want to see immense growth, which leads us to our next point…

2. Let your obstacles help you grow

Yes, your struggles can teach you valuable lessons that will help you later in life. But, it’s more than that. 

Realize that it is okay to feel pain and let yourself be sad, angry, or any other emotion. Feeling your emotions is as healthy as it is important. Bottling these feelings up will do you harm in the long-term and prevent you from being able to process the obstacles in your life and formulate plans to get past them!

When you are struggling with something, stop and let it be a reflective moment. Ask yourself questions like: 

• Why am I struggling right now? Did I cause this or was it something out of my control?
• How can I improve the situation that I am currently in?
• What is one thing I wish I could’ve told myself before facing this obstacle?
• How is this struggle going to help me improve going forward?

The more you embrace your struggles and allow them to guide you forward, the easier it will be to overcome them when necessary and let them help you find purpose!

3. Stay focused and committed

Being committed to overcoming your struggles in life and becoming the best version of yourself is not as easy as you think it is. Finding your true purpose isn’t always easy, either. Stay away from distractions and things that may hinder you from achieving your goals. Don’t allow these obstacles to bring you down because it’s normal!

Be willing to dive deep into your past, present, and future to discover what it is that you are truly looking for. Be utterly committed to waking up every morning ready to live the life you want, no matter what else you’re going through.

You also must stray away from comparing. Your life is different from others, so you shouldn’t feel bad if other people are already at the peak of your success and you’re not! And, keep in mind that when you find purpose, it may not be the same as others’.

4. Adapt to your situation

In order to overcome struggles and make sure they are helping you find purpose, you must be willing to change and adapt. It can be very easy to get stuck in old habits and routines that aren’t truly fulfilling you. We get stuck in bad friendships, bad careers, bad habits, and so on that ultimately lead to even more struggles. You must be willing to be uncomfortable to find what you’re looking for!

Additionally, keep in mind that your purpose will probably change throughout your lifetime. As your mission evolves over time, roll with it! Do not get trapped in the notion that you have only one purpose forever. 

5. Focus on the good

Enjoy the small things in life. That hot cup of tea you’ve been dreaming of all day, or crawling into your comfy bed at night, or conversations with strangers you meet in your local coffee shop. The small stuff matters when dealing with big challenges.

This is the step that truly matters most. Your purpose may simply be to do exactly what you are doing right now, or it can be to move across the country and start over. Whatever you are struggling with right now will pass. Make sure you aren’t so caught up in the bad to miss out on the good. 

Remember — perspective is everything.

Your experiences are incredibly important to find purpose

It doesn’t matter what your struggles are. No matter how “big” or “small” they are (in quotation marks because nobody but you can define the size of your struggles), your struggles have the power to fuel your purpose in life. 

And that is a truly wonderful thing.

You don’t have to push your obstacles down deep into your mind and try to never think about them! They are important. Use them to find purpose. Let them help you grow, develop, and create the life you’ve always wanted.Looking for more guidance in finding your purpose? We’ve mapped out 24 questions to ask yourself that might help! Click here to head to that blog post.

For more on Katie, head here!