Pathways Out of Depression--Part 6: Living Your Life Purpose
What does it take to actually live your life purpose? Probably the most important thing is to pay attention to your Soul Nudges.
A Soul Nudge is that thought that darts through your head and says “I could do that,” when you’re at team meeting and there’s a chance to volunteer to give a presentation about a topic you love, but you don’t raise your hand because public speaking makes you feel like you’re going to pass out.
You go back into your office, telling yourself you wouldn’t have had time to do the presentation anyway. “I’ve got too much work to do,” you think. You look at the “to do” pile on your desk and feel depressed.
You blame your depression on your workload. “Why do they always give me so much to do and not enough time to do it,” you ask yourself, hating your company and forgetting that the Universe just lit a pathway out and you chose to ignore it.
Playing the blame game might feel better in the moment, but it does NOT move you forward in living your life purpose.
Playing the blame game is a perfect example of going into autopilot mode after a Soul Nudge. You automatically slip into your old behaviors and self-talk.
And playing that game keeps you going around in circles instead of helping you live your life purpose.
When you get a Soul Nudge, it’s the Universe’s way of opening a door out of your current situation. But you have only a short amount of time-- some people say it’s only 5 seconds--before that door closes.
After the 5 seconds is up, your mind will start doing whatever it can to talk you out of taking action.
Check out this Ted Talk if you want to learn more about why those 5 seconds are so important:
TEDx Talk: How to Stop Screwing Yourself Over - Mel Robbins
Robbins says that your mind has no interest in doing anything that makes you uncomfortable, so when you listen to your mind, you hesitate, and if you hesitate too long, it’s all over!
Hesitating has become a habit, according to Robbins, and it takes mindfulness to realize when we are hesitating.
When you’ve figured out what your purpose is, and you’ve stopped buying into your negative self talk and beliefs that hold you back, your Soul is going to be nudging you, BIG TIME, to get on with it!
When you feel your Soul nudging you, Robbins says it’s important to take physical action. Even if you’re in a meeting, you can clasp your arms above your head, stretch, and take a deep breath. Or, take a bathroom break.
Check in with your values. Does the impulse you had line up with them? Would taking that action move your forward, If so, figure out a way to take action NOW.
If you take the “later road” rather than the “now” road, you MAY eventually get to your destination. Then again, you may not. Why take the chance?