I am in the health business. My purpose is motivating people to leave aside their addictions and destructive habits and move toward healthier lifestyles. Given all the “feel-good” reasons for optimum health, there are none so compelling as the notion of destiny. This is the question that I am asked most frequently: “What is my purpose, and how can I find it?”

In order to anchor a deep respect for the physical body firmly into our minds and to give us the motivating factor for achieving optimum health, we must look to the ideas of purpose and calling as the driving force behind our intentions. It is time to live life from “the higher octave.”

Sure, it is great to feel healthy and alive, and when we feel this way, we have the energy to do just about anything. But just feeling good is not all that is involved. When destiny gives us a project, however large or small, we need to have a healthy body to carry out our purpose and mission.

The passion of our calling does as much to excite the cells in our bodies as it does to keep our souls fulfilled.

All too often, I speak to large groups of highly evolved spiritual people whose physical bodies do not match the evolution of their souls. But the way is clear. As we take the steps to uncover our unique talents, the journey and the experiences along the way take us to our ultimate goal of completing our purpose in this lifetime. The discovery of our talents can be a powerful motivating factor for setting aside addictions, having a peaceful heart, letting go of blame, and seeing the bigger picture.
One never knows how someone can be motivated and inspired by another person’s words.

I remember giving a talk in Los Angeles a few years ago. I mentioned the idea of optimum health being linked to spiritual purpose. Several weeks after my presentation, I received a letter from a man who said that he had given up chain-smoking the very next day after grasping this concept. He knew that he needed a strong physical body with which to complete his purpose as a spiritual songwriter.

Illness begins when the spiritual part of our lives is disregarded. We stay in jobs we do not like, we stay in relationships we have outgrown, we are content to feel old, lethargic, and in pain. When we realize that we have a finite number of years to live on this earth, living life consciously and purposefully takes on new meaning.

Andrea, a beautiful, capable young woman in her mid-forties, came to me for a consultation. She had spent eight years training for a job she did not like. She had low energy, lethargy, and pains in both of her ankles and heels. I had a sense that despite what her mind was telling her, she was way off purpose, and the flame of passion in right livelihood was missing from her life. I did my best to assist her from a nutritional and supplemental perspective, and her energy did improve, but her real Achilles’ heel, where her pain was located, was in direct proportion to her lack of fulfillment in her job. Daily meditation and quiet contemplation assisted her in finding her inner voice, and she was led to calligraphy as a way to balance her daily work with a creative outlet while awaiting a new career direction.

What are the steps to finding and staying on purpose?

1. Align with a higher power that knows you better than you know yourself. This is a spiritual power or force that understands your deepest desires.
2. Write down all the things you enjoy doing. Make a long list, and leave nothing out. This can be anything from gardening to holding a baby to flying an airplane. What do you love?
3. Check in with your heart. All of your actions should “feel right.” If it does not feel right, do not do it. Let this heart-compass guide you in your life. This is the higher, all-wise, all-knowing part of you that is leading you forward.
4. Let the universe deliver. Daily, you will see the magical unfolding of events in your life. Look for serendipitous happenings and chance meetings that can bring important pieces of the “purpose” puzzle to you.
5. Be patient. Destiny is a journey that unfolds one step at a time.

When it is time and the soul prompts us to move on or to move forward, we must be ready to take the ultimate leap of faith. We need to align with the universe, which has something bigger in mind for us. This takes courage.

The healing journey, like the life process, can be challenging, even unbearable at times. To stay in gratitude when life is falling apart and things are changing is a big test. To develop trust in the unknown, to be positive when in pain and to stay calm and present when there is nowhere to turn takes great discipline and mastery. The rewards for this discipline are great.

When we release great chunks of anger, resentment, and bitterness, the real gift is that our connections with the spiritual become deeper, sweeter, and more revealing. We also develop more compassion and understanding toward others—the cornerstone for living life on purpose.

As a result of this inner work, the facets of our own individual diamond personalities become finely polished and emit a radiance and energy that has far-reaching effects.

Many years ago, I had the unique opportunity of working in a beautiful heritage church. It was set in a little cove at the edge of the ocean, surrounded by trees and a lovely garden. Inside the church, there were dark wood beams, red carpets, and ornate stained-glass windows. It was a very popular location for weddings; but for as many brides that walked up the aisle, there were just as many coffins that were carried down. Working at a church gave me the opportunity to witness the very dramatic and transient nature of life. As I saw these important chapters unfolding before my eyes, I realized that life is too short to waste. This experience continually forced me to reset my inner compass and focus on what mattered.

To all of you who wish to see the fruition of your own dreams, keep yourselves healthy. Call upon your intuition, your inner guidance, and your body’s wisdom to keep you on track. Let this instinctive part of you show the way to all the right choices that are part of manifesting your own destiny.

** This article is one of 101 great articles that were published in 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life. To get complete details on “101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life”, visit http://www.selfgrowth.com/greatways3.html

Author's Bio: 

Caroline Sutherland is the author of The Body Knows: How to Tune In to Your Body and Improve Your Health, The Body Knows Cookbook, and the number one Amazon best seller The Body Knows: Cracking the Weight Loss Code. For the past 25 years she has lectured internationally as a medical intuitive and has positively affected the lives of over 100,000 people. Caroline is an internationally recognized medical intuitive, lecturer, and author of 27 products regarding health, personal development, and self-esteem. She is the founder of Sutherland Communications, Inc., offering medical intuitive training programs, weight loss programs, and consultation services for adults and children. Sign up for her newsletter, teleconferences, and online video programs at http://www.carolinesutherland.com.