PURSUE your PURPOSE!

“It doesn't matter what you did or where you were...it matters where you are and what you're doing. Get out there! Sing the song in your heart and NEVER let anyone shut you up!!” ― Steve Maraboli,

Yesterday I expressed my desire to motivate and inspire others through writing and sharing my thoughts, feelings and experiences. Like I said, I have explored varying avenues of this over the years but everything in life is about timing and I was obviously not ready yet.

Isn’t it just uncanny though how when you do in fact reach a point of being READY for a new part of your journey– you just know! I have spoken about this before in a previous post, but when the time is right everything around you just starts to unfold precisely as it should – it is like watching a rose bud open into full bloom… there is no strain – it is completely effortless and perfect.

When you find your true passion and you are ready dive into it, all the doubt, uncertainty and hesitation leaves you.

However, having said that – everything that you experience leading up to the point in your life where you begin to live your true purpose is equally as important. It is all a part of the preparation process, teaching you, guiding you and simultaneously filtering out all aspects that would not work with where you are headed.

Many years ago, I launched a print media magazine geared towards the alternative and holistic market. I compiled the magazine from cover to cover - layout of articles, adverts, pages of interest - EVERYTHING. I even handled all the advertising sales and the actual distribution of the product too.

I was doing this over and above running my design and print business and I found that it became enormously stressful. I used to receive many letters and emails from readers, most of which were greatly complimentary to the publication but some were just plain horrid. At that point in my life, I do not think I was emotionally ready to handle that sort of thing. I was about 22 at the time. It simply hurt too much that some people could not see the intention behind the product that I was pouring my blood, sweat and tears into.

Eventually my passion for that project died, so I sold it to another publication house and they carried it forward. Sadly, they didn't really continue my vision for it - but that was no longer my problem... however I would be lying if I said it didn't upset me greatly to let go of it.

Years after that, I decided to launch another publication called "Inspire Virtual Mag" - which was an e-zine geared at inspiring and motivating women… well, men too lol - but it was geared at the female market. This project too, was compiled completely by me - cover to cover... the design of the articles, adverts - absolutely EVERYTHING... In fact this time, I also handled all the photo shoots for the fashion spreads too. (That was outside of my normal sphere of expertise, but I learnt an emormous amount and I had an absolute blast!)

Inspire was tremendously successful and there were thousands of women from all over the globe reading, sharing and enjoying what I had created! It was wonderfully received and so very rewarding to bear witness to how it was positively impacting so many people’s lives. However, the looming reality that I actually needed a consistent income in my life in order to support myself and my son kept rearing its head.

I was not making any money out of Inspire as I had launched it on a trade basis with the intention of gradually moving over into paid advertising once it had established a large enough readership. But sitting at sometimes 140 to 160 pages cover to cover, it was simply taking up far too much of my time and my business that was in fact paying my bills began to suffer because my focus had shifted. I attempted to change the structure of it to make it more manageable for me but I was drowning in stress and it left me feeling completely emotionally depleted, which to my mind defeated the entire object of the exercise.

So I let that project go too and I placed my focus back onto my business.

I love my business and having built it from the ground up I would be a liar if I stood here and said that I am not passionate about it… but no matter how much I have tried to ignore the little voice in my head telling me that this is NOT my true path, I simply could not.

I have travelled down a few more twists in my road since then – and here I stand now. I feel ready. I feel equipped on every level and I am SO VERY excited about the way forward!

It has been years since I have given either of those projects any real thought - but I did yesterday because I was “day dreaming” about what I had written to all of you with regards to“just knowing” that the time was now and that space was perfect.... so I just thought I would take a moment to share it with you - as well as to give myself a big fat pat on the back hehe... because, well... I never did at the time... and if I actually think about it – both were quite large accomplishments.

A little while ago I wrote about trusting the process of life where I discussed how you need to have faith in the fact that if you have not yet, you WILL find your purpose in life. Have I ever doubted this? Of course I have – but the point is that you need to learn to silence that little voice that plants seeds of doubt in your mind.

No matter what, you will go to bed tonight and you will still wake up tomorrow. The sun will still rise and the wheels of life will continue to turn. There is absolutely nothing you can do about that, so get up, take a deep breathe – believe in yourself. Talk to yourself (positively please) and step forward knowing that everything will unfold precisely as it should.

Throughout all of the above that I have shared with you I have had to keep reminding myself that I WILL get to where I should be. Sometimes the process of convincing almost feels impossible but you simply must NOT let go of your vision.

The day that your reach your “destination” and you begin a new journey, you will KNOW it! Everything about it will feel right!
Until then, continue to look at every other stop along the way as a part of the journey itself… like I said – preparing you, teaching you and steering you in the right direction.

Your passion and purpose is there and always will be. Nobody is going to steal it. Nobody can take it away from you. Your destiny is like your fingerprint – it is completely unique so nobody can EVER fill the shoes that you are meant to walk in. Remember that!

“Free yourself from the complexities and drama of your life. Simplify. Look within. Within ourselves we all have the gifts and talents we need to fulfill the purpose we've been blessed with.” ― Steve Maraboli

Until next time…

Much Love from Cape Town, South Africa xxx

PS: All the issues I created over that period, are still available online... so feel free to take a gander :) There truly is some fantastic content in every issue – be it old :)

ISSUE No. 7
https://issuu.com/inspirevirtualmag/docs/inspire_virtual_mag_7_reduced

ISSUE No. 6
https://issuu.com/inspirevirtualmag/docs/inspire_virtual_mag_6_final

ISSUE No. 5
https://issuu.com/inspirevirtualmag/docs/inspire_issue_5_final_edit

ISSUE No. 4
https://issuu.com/inspirevirtualmag/docs/inspire_virtual_mag_issue_4_may.june_2013

ISSUE No. 3
https://issuu.com/inspirevirtualmag/docs/inspiremag_3

ISSUE No. 2
https://issuu.com/inspirevirtualmag/docs/inspire_mag_2_new

ISSUE No. 1
https://issuu.com/inspirevirtualmag/docs/inspire_final_11.12_ready