Geneva's Blog

Good afternoon, grounded Readers,

It’s been a beautiful day today, with plenty of sunshine and the temperature topping out at a mild 90 degrees. I can almost feel autumn coming around the corner! I’m drinking a refreshing Yerba Mate green tea (I recommend it, it’s caffeinated and is supposed to enhance energy and mental focus among other benefits!), so grab your tea and let’s talk!

I had planned to write about the need for/benefits of a healthy community today, but I’m going to have to save that for later. I have something else that has been on my mind, so of course – you get to hear all about it!

So, we talk about living our purpose, right? Hopefully you’ve noticed – it’s kind of a main theme of this blog. We’ve talked about shaping our lives to align with our purpose. That makes us think of our purpose(s) as this big overarching plan for our life. Yes, you have a really big, really meaningful Assignment, and you should absolutely be working on that.

However, you are not limited to one big purpose, or even to a small collection of purposes. You also have a purpose in the here and now. In fact, you have a purpose in ALL the heres and nows! Start calling yourself Lysol, because you are multi-purpose! Every situation/circumstance you find yourself in, you are there for a reason…

(Okay, rabbit hole: Don’t come at me for saying everything happens for a reason. I am not saying that God engineered all your circumstances. These reasons can vary and are quite often self-inflicted. However, they can also be outside of your control and totally unfair. Our world is broken and bad things happen. However, just because your situation may not be ideal, that does not mean there is no purpose for you in it. While God is not responsible for your own or others’ bad choices, He has given you everything you need to navigate them and has given you a purpose in that place. Okay, back to the main topic!)

…and you have a specific purpose to fulfill. I’m talking down to the minutiae of everyday situations. Let me give you some examples:

1. You’re not really feeling your workout today, and you are so tempted to turn around early and not finish that run. BUT you’ve committed to getting fit because being healthy is one of your Assignments, so maybe your purpose in this moment is to dig deep and finish that mile before giving in.
2. You’re trying to get dinner on the table, but your kid decides this is the time to throw a fit (you pick the reason, it’s your kid. This kind of thing would never happen at MY house). While it might be tempting to be efficient by shutting them down so you can continue with your very necessary task, your purpose in this moment might be to model emotional regulation for them. It might be to hear and meet the need behind the behavior. Again, I don’t know, this is your kid we’re talking about. All I know is that you have a specific purpose in that situation and it may not be dinner.
3. You’re in a conversation (with another adult this time) and your mind keeps wondering back to your to-do list. Maybe your purpose in that moment is to stay engaged, to encourage, to make that other person feel heard. This may feel small, but who are we to judge the importance of our own assignments? These immediate purposes may be more impactful than you even know.
4. You’re at work. Maybe your purpose in that moment is to show up, be present, and model what good leadership looks like to your team.
5. You’re reading this blog and gaining new insights into life. Maybe your purpose is to like, comment, and share! Hehe… okay, okay, but you get the point.

You have a purpose in every action that you take, down to the demeanor you show up with and what you choose to wear. Although these purposes may be micro in terms of the time they take or the rank they score on your daily planner list, they are everything. They make up the person you are and the impact you have on the world. Do not underestimate your ability to impact those around you and the world beyond with your everyday actions.

We limit the meaningful positive impact we are capable of when we forget the full scope of our purpose. It’s not just one thing, it’s everything. It’s how we show up, how we engage, who we connect with, and the truth we portray in every interaction. Let’s get curious about our circumstances and start asking the question, “What’s my purpose in this moment?”.

What’s your take?  Have thoughts or comments? Of course you do! Comment here or on my social media, and I look forward to talking to you about it!