Finding Purpose: A Practical Guide to Reconnecting With What Fuels You
Journal Prompts to Help You Reconnect With What Lights You Up
"The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for." - Fyodor Dostoevsky
When was the last time you felt deeply alive? Not just content or “fine,” but so engaged that hours slipped by without you noticing. If you can’t remember, you’re not alone.
I went years without that feeling, and it nearly broke me. Finding my purpose didn’t happen overnight — it started with asking better questions, the kind I’m going to share with you today.
Purpose is about identifying what truly nourishes your soul and finding ways to bring more of it into your daily life. You don’t need to overhaul everything at once; small, consistent shifts can be just as powerful.
In this post, I’m going to share a short practical guide to help you start exploring and reconnecting to your sense of purpose.
I’ll share some journaling prompts and honest insights that are meant to kickstart your self-discovery journey.
Use Self Reflection to Uncover Your Purpose
Up until about a year ago, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you what my purpose was. I was numb and going through the motions that we call everyday life.
It wasn’t until I started therapy for anxiety and preparing to come off my antidepressant when I finally started to connect with my true inner world.
I’d done core values exercises before, but I had never truly sat down to investigate my inner world. Why did I have anxiety? What had I learned from my journey? What was I really passionate about? What did I truly value in life?
As I was investigating this inner world, I was able to see very clearly what my purpose was. I realized that my 20-year journey of anxiety, alcohol abuse, apathy, numbness, and loneliness wasn’t wasted time.
It was both necessary for my growth as a human being and part of my purpose on this planet—to share my journey, with vulnerability, and to help others live more inspired lives.
Reflective Journal Prompts
Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. If you want to live a more purposeful life, you aren’t going to automatically know what that means to you.
This will take work.
Self-reflection is a really powerful way to connect to Self energy and uncover things you might have forgotten or buried.
Instructions: Take a few minutes to drop into a more relaxed and focused state. A few minutes of deep breathing or meditation will help center you for this exercise.
Now, spend some time really reflecting on these journal prompts. Write your answers down on your phone or in a journal. Spend about 3-5 minutes on each prompt (or even longer) and then afterwards, look for patterns in your answers.
When do I feel most like my authentic self? (Think about the situations, places, or people that let you feel completely you. These moments can reveal clues to what you value and why)
What activities make me lose track of time? (When have you been so absorbed that hours passed without you noticing? Whether it’s writing, cooking, helping a friend, or being in nature, these flow experiences point toward what genuinely lights you up)
What did I love doing as a kid? (Our childhood dreams or favorite activities can be hints of our core passions. If you wanted to be an explorer, artist, professional athlete, etc., how might those themes show up in your life now, even in small ways? Revisiting these early inspirations may rekindle joy and meaning)
If I didn’t have to worry about money or others’ opinions, what would I spend my days doing? (Imagining your ideal day or “dream career” with practical limits removed can clarify what you find fulfilling at a deeper level. You might uncover that you’d devote more time to creating, caring for others, learning, or adventuring – valuable insight into what gives you purpose.)
What do I want my life to be about? (This big-picture question invites you to define, in your own words, what a “good,” meaningful life means to you. Another way to frame it is, “What do I want to offer to the world?”)
When have I felt truly proud or fulfilled, and why? (Reflect on peak moments or achievements that felt meaningful – not necessarily the ones that look impressive, but the ones that made your heart swell and your chest puff out. What about those experiences made them special? Perhaps you overcame a fear, helped someone, or expressed yourself fully. Those elements are compass points toward purpose.)
What does life expect of me right now? (This profound question comes from Viktor Frankl, who suggested flipping our perspective: instead of asking what we want from life, consider what life might be asking from us. In other words, given your talents, circumstances, and the needs around you, what task or response is life calling you toward in this moment? This isn’t about pressure to “fix” the world, but about listening for where you feel gently pulled to contribute or grow.)
These were the types of questions I explored with my therapist to uncover what my true Self cared most about.
What came up most for me through these exercises was the need to help others. I’ve felt for a long time that we’re not doing well as a society, especially for men. And I feel this deep need to contribute by helping others live more passionate and meaningful lives, away from angst and apathy and toward purpose.
Reminder: Everyone’s purpose is theirs alone. Nobody can tell you what your life should be about or how “profound” your purpose has to be.
Somebody might find meaning in trying to save human beings from extinction, while someone else might find their purpose is to raise their children in a warm and loving household.
This is about you and nobody else.
Purpose rarely shows up as one lightning-bolt answer. More often, it’s a set of clues that, when pieced together, start to point you in a clear direction.
With that in mind, take some time to reflect on your answers. Do you see any patterns? Did you find anything you want to explore more?
If you take nothing else from this post, remember: Your purpose is found in what energizes you, not in what impresses others.
Keep Going: Purpose Is a Lifelong Practice
This is meaningful, exciting stuff! Your future Self will thank you for doing the hard work to identify what matters most to you.
I encourage you to continue thinking about what matters most to you and finding ways to incorporate that into your daily life.
What did you take away from the journaling prompts? Did you uncover anything that surprised you or you’d like to investigate further? Let me know in the comments!
Next Week: Integrating Purpose into Your Daily Life
Once you’ve identified what truly gives you purpose, it’s important to then incorporate that into your daily life. This can be done in small or large ways, but what is important is you’re focusing on these areas regularly.
Next week, I’ll share practical ways to weave your purpose into daily life — so it’s not just an inspiring idea, but a lived reality.
See you then!