13. How to Find Your Purpose

Hi, I’m Natalie Ottosen and you’re listening to The Mindset School for Soulful Entrepreneurs episode number 13.

Welcome to The Mindset School podcast, a show for spiritual entrepreneurs who are ready to stop feeling stuck, reconnect to their So’s purpose, and create a deeply fulfilling life and business. I’m Natalie Ottosen, transformational life coach, and reconnection healing foundational practitioner, and I can help you scale and grow a six-figure business from a place of inner authority, wisdom, knowledge, and truth.

If you are a spiritual entrepreneur and you are looking to take that first step towards your dream of running your own business, this is the show for you. Ready to step into your power and move forward with clarity and purpose? Let’s go.

So in the last episode I talked about success and what it looked like. And in the process of doing my research on the definition of success it was so fascinating because it pulled up some of the things that are important to me, but it wouldn’t have necessarily defined them as success. So I thought it would be brilliant to kind of break these things down one by one. And if you haven't listened to the last episode yet, I would encourage you to do so, but I want to go through them because each of them alone are such an important topic.

And the first one I want to talk about is purpose, specifically finding your purpose. In the last episode I mentioned that finding your purpose, it is really a deeply personal and very introspective journey. And while it's not a one size fits all, I do have some steps that I want to share with you that can help you on your own quest to finding your own purpose because a lot of my clients who come to me, they don't know what their purpose is. They know that there’s something they want to do. They know that they want to build a spiritual business but they're not exactly sure what it is.

And they get stuck in confusion and indecision and ultimately the long and the short of it is they don't ever start their business because they don't know what to do. They don't know what steps to take. So the reason I think understanding your purpose is so important is because when you're not, this is how it might be affecting you, just like it was me. So not living your purpose can make you feel lost and unsure. I have experienced that probably almost my whole life until I really found coaching and I really stepped into my astrology and my energy healing.

I did feel really lost and unsure about what my path was and what I was meant to do. And again, it wasn't until I was doing my real estate business that I went, “Whoa, what am I doing here?” So that's when I went back into coaching and helping women specifically find their own purpose, their own passion to create that financial freedom for themselves and to build the business they have always wanted. That's why I think it's so important, that’s one of the reasons anyways. So again, it’s kind of feeling that, lost or unsure about what you’re doing and where you're going.

It's like when you don't have a clear goal or direction in a game you’re playing, and you feel confused about what to do next. It can also be like doing things that don't really make you happy or excited. Again ,real estate was super successful for me. I was really good at it, but it absolutely made me miserable. I had anxiety all the time. It didn’t fulfill me. And so that's like playing a game, again, going back to this game analogy, that you don't really enjoy. It can make you feel bored or unsatisfied or cause tremendous amounts of anxiety for you. You might also feel like something's missing in your life.

And that's really ultimately what real estate, when I was doing real estate or even other professions, it’s I just felt like something was missing for me. Sometimes if you don't know your purpose or aren’t living it, you might feel like you're going through the motions like a robot following a routine. It's like the Groundhogs Day movie. You just wake up and you’re just doing it all over again. It can feel like you're not really being yourself or doing things that truly matter to you. Not living your purpose can also make it hard to make choices.

When you are not in flow or when you are not operating from a place of purpose or passion or alignment or values, it can make making decisions really hard because really what’s your guidance system? What’s your post? How are you being led and directed?: So it’s like not having a map or a compass to guide you, you might feel confused or unsure about your path to take and that can really feel a bit scary and overwhelming at times, And can really lead to indecision, just not making any decision at all.

So if you're not living your purpose you might miss out on opportunities to use your talents and strengths. It's like having these amazing super powers but never getting a chance to use them. What a waste. You might not feel confident or fulfilled because you're not doing the things that really showcase your abilities. So again, in real estate as successful as I was in real estate, being able to truly help people in a profound way, that's what was missing for me. And really overall not living your purpose, it doesn’t feel good. It feels like there’s something important missing in your life.

And it’s like not finding your own special place or your role in this world and also it's never too late to discover your purpose and make changes for you to be able to live and move forward in a meaning and fulfilling way. So why would it be important to know your purpose? So knowing your purpose is like having a special mission or an important job in your life. It really is finding out what makes you really happy and what you're good at. And I am not saying that you’re going to be happy all the time because that’s just not how it works. You’re still going to have everyday stressors and things are going to come up.

But when you are doing your mission, when you know your purpose and your passion and you're moving in that direction, it's more effortless. And I also want you to know that this can change as you move forward on your path. And sometimes the only way to figure out your purpose is to try one and then try the next. So a way of imagining this is again playing a game and you have a specific goal or a mission to complete. Knowing your purpose is like having that goal in the game. It helps you stay focused and motivated to keep playing and do your best. When you know your purpose it's like having a compass that guides you in the right direction.

And that really is part of building that intuition and that inner guidance system. It helps you make choices that are true to who you are and what you believe in. It's like having a map that shows you which path to take and which ones to avoid. Having a purpose also makes you feel good inside. It’s like finding something that really matters to you and brings you joy. It’s like when you do something nice for others and it makes you happy to see them smile. Your purpose can be about helping others or making a difference in the world or doing something you love.

I absolutely love coaching, and astrology and energy healing and I love to be able to incorporate those together to help people see that number one, there was no mistake when you were made. And these are your gifts and your strengths and let’s use them and give them to the world because this is what you're here to do. So when you know your purpose it's like finding your own special place in the world. It gives you a sense of belonging and a feeling that you’re part of something bigger.

It's like finding your own unique puzzle piece that fits perfectly into the big picture. So knowing your purpose is important because it helps to feel happy and focused and like you have an important role to play in this world, because you do. It's like having a special mission that makes your life meaningful and helps you make a positive impact on others. And this is what I help my clients with because this is my purpose and my passion. It's what I love to help you discover for yourself so that you can be moving towards the life that truly fuels your purpose and passion.

So that you can take that purpose and passion and create profit with it and to be in alignment with what you're doing, and the kind of soul filled life you want to live. So I want to give you some tips on how you can find your purpose. It starts with self-reflection. So take the time to reflect on your interests, your values, your strengths, and your passions. You could actually take a piece of paper and make four columns, or you could write down each one at a time, but writing down, what are my interests, what are my values, what are my strengths, what are my passions. And feel free to ask and I’ll talk about this in a minute, but feel free to ask people if you’re feeling stuck in this area.

But if you're feeling stuck and you’re saying, “I don't know”, I want to offer, if I did know, what would my interests be if I did know, what would my values be. If I did know, what would my strength be, so on, so forth. I am also going to include a PDF of questions, journaling prompts that you can download and work with as well. So those will be in the show notes. I also want you to consider the activities and experiences that bring you joy and fulfillment. Think about the moments when you feel the most alive and connected.

This introspective process can really provide valuable insight into what matters most to you. Also, pay attention to the people you admire or inspire you or even where you're feeling jealous or maybe a little envious of somebody else and what they're doing. That's probably a good indicator that that’s something of interest to you because you wouldn't be feeling that jealousy or envy if it wasn't something inside of you that your soul was calling to. A couple of years ago I went on a road trip with some friends of mine. And we went to go listen to Glennon Doyle speak at a live event. It was after her first book came out, Love Warrior and I absolutely loved that book.

I remember leaving that arena feeling so overwhelmed with emotion. I literally cried when I left because I knew that what I wanted was the same thing. I wanted to be on stage sharing my story. I want to write my book. I wanted to start a podcast. I want to help women just like she is, just like I'd been helped and just like I am now doing. Those were all things that were calling to me and I felt it so passionately in that moment. So really pay attention to who you admire, who you listen to, who you resonate with, who you might be feeling jealous of.

And allow yourself to do some self-reflection as to why do I feel jealous? What do I admire about that person? What's coming up for me? Are they authentic? Are they succeeding in something that you want to do? Have they written that book? Have they started that podcast? Are they helping women become their own hero? Are they taking action in their life, where you want to take action in yours? So just notice what's coming up for you when I say that. The other thing along the lines of self-reflection is really understanding and finding your values, what matters most to you.

I talked about this in episode five on How to Align your Business with your Spiritual Values. So if you want more information on that you can check out that episode. Yesterday I was listening to my mentor’s podcast, and it was her most recent episode where she was talking about redefining the values for The Life Coach School versus her own personal values. And I think this is one of the most important exercises that you can do in helping you move forward and make decisions in what career and life you want. Because it helps you define your goals to create the life and business you want to build.

It's also important to make sure that you are defining what matters most to you so that the decisions that you are making that they’re in alignment with those values. So one of my favorite exercises that I do, and I talked about this in episode five. I do this with my clients, it's called the value survey. And what it is, is there’s two columns of values, some more broad and some more narrow. And basically you pick out the top five values and then we go in and define those values. And we figure out what value is driving you right now. And then we kind of tie that into your astrology and human design and help you create that blueprint at your core.

So that you’re moving forward in reflection to those values that you find most important to you. It’s such a beautiful, powerful process to do with my clients. Am I making the decisions in my life and my business that are in alignment with the direction that I want to go. So you can do this exercise with me, or you can grab a piece of paper and you can pull up a list of values. And you can write down, I would say the top five, so your top five values.

And then define what that looks like and then start making decisions and running the decisions that you're making through this filter, this lens of these values that you have decided are the most important to you. And when you do that, I want you to watch how your life and your business begins to shift.

Number two, the next thing I want to talk about is exploring different areas in different things. So don't be afraid to explore new interests and try new things, engaging in activities or volunteering in areas that you’re curious about, maybe even taking a course or a class around something that sparks your interest. Or meet with somebody that’s in that area that sparks your interest. So exploring like this allows you a different perspective to discover new passions and understand what truly resonates with you.

I know as an emotional manifesting generator, not only do I get to do all of the things all at the same time, but I actually do have to try things on and see how they feel for me. I have to bring them in and see if I like them and then I get the permission to release it and let it go if it doesn't work. And if you don't know about human design, reach out to me and we can chat. But again, exploring different things in different areas.

Number three is seek inspiration. Like I mentioned before, look for role models or individuals who have found their purpose and are living meaningful lives. Read books, watch documentaries, or listen to podcasts that inspire you or expose you to all sorts of different ideas. Learning from others’ experiences it’s so valuable. We don't have to go through everything, you guys, we can learn from other people. And it really can help shape your own path.

Number four is embracing your strengths. So identify your own strengths and talents, understanding what you excel at can really help guide you towards the area where you can make a significant impact. So embracing your unique qualities. In fact, the more unique you are and the more quirky you are the better. How can you utilize them and contribute to the world around you with these beautiful gifts and talents?

Number five is set goals, set short term goals, set long-term goals, set goals that align with your interests and values. Having these goals it gives you direction and a sense of purpose. As you work towards these goals, evaluate how they make you feel. It’s so important to because if it doesn't feel good to you, it’s not going to drive the action or inaction in order to get you your results. So really pay attention to how it feels and whether it resonates with your sense of purpose or not.

Number six is seek feedback and support. So, again, engaging in conversations with trusted friends. If you are struggling to figure out what your strengths are, your interests are, your values are, any of those things, talk to your good friends, talk to your family members, talk to your co-workers. Find out from them, where are those strengths and talents, where are those interests and passions for you. What did they see that maybe you're not seeing? But I do want to offer you the opportunity to really sit, to go within, sit in some meditation possibly and give yourself some time that you can just allow yourself to just write, because I think that’s a good way to be able to process that.

So again, having conversation with trusted friends, families, mentors, professionals who can provide valuable feedback and guidance to you. Sometimes others can see strengths and potential more clearly than we can ourselves.

So number seven is be open to growth and change. Remember that finding your purpose it's not like a one and done, it’s an ongoing process and you gain new experiences and insights as you go through this process. So your purpose, it may evolve and change just as I said in the beginning. Embrace the growth. Be open to adapt into your path as you learn more about yourself and the world around you. Be patient with yourself and allow the process to unfold naturally. Trust your intuition and follow your heart as you explore different possibilities.

And again, always if you're needing more support, please reach out to me. I would love to know where you’re at in the process of finding your own purpose. And make sure that you download the PDF because there are 30 journaling prompts in there that can really start to help get the juices flowing so that you can start to figure out your purpose. And if you want to come work with me, I will help you unfold this process for yourself. So I hope this was helpful and I will see you guys next week. All my love.

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Thank you for joining me for this week's episode of The Mindset School. Ready to dive deeper into finding your purpose and create a deeply fulfilling life? Visit Soulsistercoaching.com for more guidance and resources. See you next week.