During the holiday season, it’s easy to become distracted by…everything. So many people, events, and things demand your attention. Retail stores bombard you with advertisements for the latest gadgets. Social media shows you images of pristine Christmas decorations or perfect holiday desserts. And if you throw end-of-the-year work responsibilities into the mix, things can get overwhelming very quickly.

I challenge you to dial it back a bit.

What if you decided to focus on your purpose, and let everything else take the backburner? How great would it feel to put less thought and effort into some of our holiday demands, centering yourself on the things that are truly important?

This all boils down to one key concept: Purpose. We’ve talked about Purpose periodically on this blog, since it is one of the three pillars of Self-Wealth (along with Security and Hope). Purpose has to do with your core mission in life—the thing or things that mean the most to you. Your Purpose might center around your career, your family, your hobbies or passions, your faith, or your activism. It’s what motivates and excites you, what keeps you going even when times are tough.

Unfortunately, many of us tend to stray from our core Purpose at times. We get hung up and distracted by the little things—the everyday tasks/events/people that vie for our attention. We often keep so busy that we’re only seeing a few feet in front of us, instead of the big picture (focusing on the trees, rather than the forest).

Sometimes we need to pause and pull back the lens. Ask yourself:

  • How do I define my Purpose?
  • Am I currently living my Purpose, or do I need to make some changes so it takes center stage?
  • Is my career Purpose-driven? Or am I pretty unhappy in my current position? (If that’s the case, you may want to consider a change. Many of us spend the bulk of our waking hours at work, which can be extremely difficult if we don’t enjoy what we’re doing!)
  • How do I return to my central Purpose? What can I ignore or set aside right now?

When you focus on your Purpose(s), everything else seems fairly trivial. Five years from now, will it really matter if you show up to the party with store-bought cookies, rather than homemade? (Unless your passion is baking, it probably won’t matter much.) Will it make a difference if you decline an invitation for a distance acquaintance’s holiday party? (Probably not!)

This month, I urge you to think about your core Purpose. If you’re feeling distant from your Purpose, try spending some time reflecting on why that is, and what you need to do to re-center it. Life’s too short to neglect your Purpose!

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