On Purpose: Meeting Needs

Spending time with friends and new acquaintances over the past few days has me thinking again about the challenges we're facing right now. If you're like me, you might be experiencing what I'll call "tragedy fatigue" as revelation after revelation has come into the light in the wake of people using their voices to speak up about what they've experienced in so many of our societal sectors like Arts, Media, Business, and Government. Truth be told, it feels terrible to feel so tired when a new story arrives on my radar online or through a conversation. I've wondered, "What and who will be next?" Abuse, abuse of power, lack of honor, inaction (or much-delayed action)... When will it end? Will we make a decision to seek genuine change and heal?

If any beauty can come through times like these, I believe it involves a willingness to walk in personal transformation and to be a people who are intentionally investing our time, talent and resources to meet needs which can create change. We're encountering deeply rooted pain and brokenness which has led to terrible, unending cycles in many sectors of our society. While this is tragic (and words fail, honestly), we are presented with a wonderful opportunity to see freedom come in our culture as we take note of how we're wired to meet needs and create solutions.

Personally, I've been spending time reflecting and refocusing on what I was made for in this life to combat the overwhelm of the bad news cycle. For me, spending time learning about people's stories and helping them to uncover what their life is all about directly translates into seeing cultural shifts into health and wholeness. Imagine each person in our society walking in healing and hope, knowing what they were made for in this life and getting freed up to live it because they deal with their demons. Imagine a world where we have safe places for people to unload what was done to them and what they've done to others so they might heal, make right what they're able to make right and move forward. These are some of the realities I dream about... I want to see people break free from the prisons they've found themselves in. I believe when people are free, they can do great things...

What about you? What do you dream about?

When you consider the needs that you're drawn to, I challenge you to imagine what the world would look like if those needs were met. How would lives be changed? Communities? Nations? 

Living on purpose is not for the weak of heart. Often, it involves us going into the places that are unlovely (tangible or intangible). It requires us to imagine and dream past what is currently true—we have to become people who see what's possible and step-by-step, make decisions to arrive there. Living on purpose motivates us to believe transformation is possible in the place of our calling and with the people we get to know therein. When we meet needs that we've been made to meet, life changes for all of us. It's amazing how interconnected we are really are, after all. When I process this truth, I'm motivated to do my part today... When I live on purpose, it changes the world for you somehow and vice versa. It's mystery and practicality mixed into one. 

So... 

• What needs are you noticing these days?
• How does the way you're investing your time, talent and resources directly meet those needs?
• Take time to think specifically (even write it out) about how you, by meeting that need, affect change in our society... That picture is going to be pretty cool... I just know it!

The world needs us to be the people we're made to be in this life. Like, today. There are so many opportunities for beauty and freedom to advance right now. Let's get to work meeting needs and creating the resolutions necessary to end bad cycles. I'm so glad to be in it with you all.

Our Purpose: Personal Health

Last weekend was an absolute blur. Packed from start to finish with people plans, I marveled at my capacity to do it all. I've recently adjusted my weekly work rhythm and in this type of season, I'm typically more tired than not. But not last weekend. I felt energized, present in my life, and despite a blip of disappointment that arrived on my radar, hopeful.

Sunday morning a friend came over for coffee. I was up early to try my hand at converting my favorite protein-packed snack recipe from banana nut into pumpkin muffins. Baking away, I noticed how happy I was to be trying something new by expanding my options for a healthy on-the-go bite in my week. It was fun to be back in the kitchen and to later share those muffins, coffee, and stories with my friend.

I don't know about you, but I often experience seasons when I'm a little more aware of my physical health. My nutritional choices play a huge part in how I feel from day to day, of course, but I realize taking care of myself can be more involved than that. Personally, I like to give myself room to flex on how I maintain personal health from one season to the next. I'm someone who needs change to stay engaged. Some people need stability and more of an ongoing routine. Staying healthy has so much to do with knowing how we're wired and what is good for us in the season we're in.

My schedule change has me up between 5 and 5:30 AM these days. I had no idea how welcome this adjustment would be for me. My most alert and productive time is in the morning hours and I the shift has me working well with who I am. It has afforded me an earlier bedtime which has me feeling more rested overall. The quiet mornings have helped me to feel less rushed and more focused on what my day will become. Even after a long day of work appointments, I'm coming home and feeling energized to get out for a walk and picking up the house! And, instead of opting for more time alone after extra full days, last night I even reached out to a friend to see if she'd get out on that walk with me.

On top of this, I've been pretty aware of my sugar intake recently (including alcohol). I've decided to cut back again and focus more on eating natural sugars and getting more whole foods into my body. Don't get me wrong, you will see me with chocolate in hand here and there. I'm just choosing less of it right now. This decision has freed me up to say a good "yes" and a good "no" in my days. It has also created the space for me listen to that inner voice that tells me when I'm making a choice from a motive that will lead into life or death. All of this has left me feeling very encouraged.

If you can't tell, I'm sort of marveling at it all right now. I don't know about you, but sometimes I forget how simple it can be to have my needs met. Sometimes, a simple schedule change or the decision to give more attention to what I'm putting into my body is all I need to move forward with ease. I'm feeling freshly inspired as a result of these small adjustments. This inspiration has cultivated new ideas and solutions for the circumstances I'm facing both personally and professionally. 

To me, that's how all of this connects back to living on purpose... It's incredibly valuable to look at basic realities like our sleeping and waking time, our nutrition and our physical activity levels to make the necessary tweaks that will free us up into more energy and more hope in our days. When we're taking care of our personal health, we're positioning ourselves to create the future we're dreaming of and working towards. It's all connected. 

So...

• What practical steps are you taking to care well for yourself in the season you're in? Or: What practical steps will you take to care well for yourself in the season you're in?
• Consider the week ahead. Is there anything in your life/schedule that you will tweak to ensure you're rested, filled with energy and hope?

Take good care of yourself, won't you? You matter. Don't forget.