Living a Life with Purpose

Podcast Episode Description:

Are you living an intentional life with purpose? In this episode of Community Creatives, Jacqui shares insights guided by her journey of learning how to prioritise self, and living intentionally, with self-care at the heart of her actions, especially as a woman and a mother. Jacqui explains the learnings derived from the power of acting from intention, and the impact of informed decision-making, with reference to goals and well-being. The conversation highlights the importance of prioritising personal growth and self-led care, and the potential to lead to greater fulfillment and success in one’s life. Throughout this journey, Jacqui reveals that she has grappled with the illusion of time, and personal capacity. Through her individualised recovery, she began to learn how to honour her unique purpose, through intention-based decision-making, and find relief from impulsive choices she encountered in the face of chaos.

Music by Bensound.com/royalty-free-music

License code: U6EWJCDDX8XNCHJ7

Transcript

Intro to CMM Podcast Channel text:

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 Episode Transcript:

Living a Life with Purpose

Over the past year, both personally and professionally, I have diligently committed to seeking wisdom about wellness and empowerment through purposeful living. What dawned on me recently, was the recurring theme that I had an illusion of time and a false idea of my capacity. I realised that what I can give to the world and possibly to others was limited. This was the hardest thing of all. I needed to consider myself first, before I sought out anything additional to add to my mental load.

Putting yourself first is not something that comes naturally to many women. It certainly doesn't come naturally to mums. And even if you had the certainty and assurance in yourself and your self-worth before you became a mother, from the moment the child is placed in your arms, life stops in an instant. You and everything you know takes a step backwards. This is not the time to tell you how I managed to find myself after becoming a mother, and rediscovering who I am - that can be a topic for another day. 

Today is all about living with purpose. Living intentionally. Living for the best version of ourselves. 

We aim for this version of ourselves, so we get to spend time with them personally, but other people get to as well. If we are not acting intentionally in the best way that keeps us well and healthy, and able to contribute to things outside ourselves, and the things that matter - what exactly is our purpose? Again, this is not time for a loaded spiritual observation. Your purpose is unique to you. Your journey is set by you alone, and you are courageous enough to walk it. 

Understanding the power in acting from intention has changed everything about the decisions I make in my life. I have allowed myself to become more thoughtful; pausing enough to understand the weight of my decisions, analysing the impact on me in the short-term and the long-term, and whether or not these actions lead towards my goals and best interests. 

Most of my life, I've been throwing the dice and rolling the roulette wheel. Living by chance, impulsivity, and living with a highly reactive brain, responding to a reactive and sometimes ruminating thought process.

To say it has been exhausting is the biggest understatement of my life. To put this in proper context, all I've known is chaos. In this skewed reality, I've attempted to initiate control and every level of that chaos. The fact that it hasn't worked is such a testament to living intentionally and with purpose. It also resonates with a renewed respect for your time, energy and for yourself. 

We commit to this by valuing ourselves deeply and deciding who gets to share this beautiful time with us throughout our lives. This is how we invest in ourselves, and live an intentional life that keeps us well and content. 

Every act, every word, everything you say ‘yes’ to – ask yourself with conviction: Does it serve you? Where does it fit? Most importantly, what is the actual cost? I've read a lot recently about the fragility of time. One of the things that is continually emphasised through these readings is the true cost of our time. The true cost of our actions. What are we willing to sacrifice? How much of ourselves will we give up? Are we living purposefully and intentionally? How much of ourselves do we want to lose along the way? 

Every time we say yes to something else, we say no to ourselves. This observation has weighed heavily on my mind recently, as I reflect on the true impact of how my time is spent. Now, with intention, every time I'm tempted to behave impulsively and recklessly without thought, I pause - I analyse these actions and I see a very misguided sense of who I used to be. I was that person doing all the things, and retaining nothing for myself.

That time no longer reflects who I am, and I need to stay true to this person I have become. There is simply nothing more important than living our life, with purpose, intention, confidence and joy in our heart. Once you learn to trust in yourself fully, you'll know as you heal, that you realise this is the path you've always been on and were always meant to take. Even if you went in other directions. 

You may have stumbled; you may have stopped completely. Stand back up. Dust yourself off, and congratulate yourself on where you are now, and all that you have survived, and all that you are still to become. The very best things are still waiting for you. 

All of my love, 

Jacqui

Outro to CMM Podcast Channel text:

“This was an original Community Matters Media Production. Thank you for connecting with us. Please continue to follow us as part of our connected, authentic community where you show up just as you are.”

Music by Bensound.com/royalty-free-music

License code: U6EWJCDDX8XNCHJ7