The Power of a Seasonal Purpose

I have a real problem with the term “life purpose.” As a coach and just as a human I think “life purpose” is maybe the most daunting term because it not only implies a singular purpose (no pressure of course, just that you are put on the plant to do ONE thing), but it also suggests to me that you have to figure out what that one thing is. And a lot of people don’t know what their ONE thing is, which can cause despair and self-judgement.

When I went through coach training we had an exercise where we were supposed to come up with a life purpose statement in the day. So not only did I need to know why I existed, but I also needed to distill it into a sentence. They talked about “tweaking the language” until it really resonated. I was so far behind “tweaking,” I didn’t know where to start. That wasn’t because I didn’t feel purposeful in my life, it’s just because I feel connected to many things.

Yes, there are people out there who feel like they are alive to singularly write, mother, teach, or take on another role. I am not trying to discredit the power of feeling that connected to something, but I also want to encourage that you can feel like you find purpose in multiple roles and facets of life.

My other bone to pick with “life purpose” is the longevity of it! If I had to tell you what my life purpose was at 22 and commit to it I would not be a very happy 31-year-old because we EVOLVE. We find meaning and satisfaction in different things in different life stages.

I still connect to the word purpose though and feel it encourages intentional living. That is what I love the lens of having a • seasonal purpose • to focus on. It’s a manageable duration of time to be focused on what matters to you in that chapter of your life. It also gives you freedom to switch to another purpose the next season, instead of feeling like you have to have it all figured out forever. There is also such a beautiful connection of thinking in terms of season that can provide a connection to the natural changes of nature throughout the year.

Since it is the fall equinox, I wanted to offer this concept to you to reflect on what your seasonal purpose is for this fall. Write it down. Meditate on it. Share it with a friend.

What is your fall purpose?

Set a calendar reminder for the turn of each season to check back in with yourself and set your purpose for the new season ahead. Give yourself permission to have more than one, and allow it to change with the seasons, just like we do.