Community is my drug of choice.
Purpose is my caffeine (along with coffee).
As I navigate this stage of (mid)life I recognize the importance of Community and Purpose. How they have the power to motivate, inspire and elevate me, and without them I can feel bereft.
Years ago, on days when I was feeling detached and down, my husband would tell me to go call my closest friend. She was seriously like a drug, energizing me with her understanding and her compassion. We were speaking the same language, commiserating, uplifting and empowering each other. As women with similar challenges and lives, there were so many unspoken conversations because we instinctively knew what the other was experiencing.
This is why community is so important — surrounding yourself with like minded people, that want you to succeed and consequently lift you up! I recently sat on a panel at the Northshore Chamber of Commerce’s Thrive Event. The entire room was filled with such women - all there to learn tools to empower themselves, excited to be sharing the experience with a tribe of women with the same goals. It filled my cup, (reminded me that I’m not crazy) and lead to a burst of energy and inspiration on my part.
That leads me to the other essential component to feeling alive and energized. Purpose. What am I here for and am I making choices on a daily basis that are in alignment with my purpose. Am I moving forward? Learning? Reaching? Without it - I can feel stagnant. Inconsequential and then unmotivated.
Purpose isn’t about finding the best sales on those shoes I’ve been eyeing… it’s about giving back and making a difference in other people’s lives. Contributing in a way that makes a difference. This is what fuels me.
Two key components to people who live in the Blue Zones, areas in the world with a large population of healthy, thriving centennials, are purpose and community. In Nicova, Costa Rica, one of the Blue zones, having a life purpose is translated as “plan de vida” and in Okinawa, Japan, the word is “ikigai”, and your social circle is called “moai”. My recent, personal discovery validated.
Do you ever feel adrift? Have you stopped to think about your purpose? What fills your cup and gives you energy? Do the people around you hold you accountable and motivate you to fulfill your goals? Do you have people to laugh with and share life with?
I leave you with the question - what can you control? What small changes can you make in your life so that you feel fulfilled by purpose and supported by community? It’s not always easy as we age, and our children’s communities are no longer our own. As we change jobs or retire. As we downsize and leave established relationships and neighborhoods behind.
Think of wherever you are as a new chapter that you can begin at any moment.
Make the moment now to take steps towards your identifying and nurturing your Ikigai and Moai.