Your Purpose Can Lead To Longevity

Passion and Purpose Should Not be Ignored 😉

Over on social media last week, I shared the importance of prioritizing your purpose and values to improve your overall health and well-being. 

One person reached out and asked (shared with permission), “What if I don’t have a purpose? What if I am okay with not climbing the corporate ladder or working towards owning a house? I want to spend time with my friends right now.”

This is where society and media come in and derail us. Purpose doesn’t always mean achievement, but it does lead to fulfillment. 

My response was, “You do have a purpose. Your friends are your purpose. Being is your purpose. Anything that takes you away from that is taking you away from your purpose and what you value most right now.”

*This woman and I have often chatted about the pressure to “get ahead” in our industry.

Your Purpose Will Evolve

Your purpose and values will change over time. As we grow, experience life, and learn new things, we begin to see things differently. Our schedules change, our responsibilities shift, and even our beliefs evolve. This is why I have clients complete various reflection activities to see if their current goals and workouts complement the currently important things to them in life. 

Here is one example that I have my 1:1 clients complete monthly. Feel free to try it for yourself. 

For example, if you are feeling called for:

• Dinners out with friends may not be the best time to focus on a cut phase.
• Starting a new business, then maybe we can reevaluate your current workout schedule.

But for people who like numbers, purpose can be complex to digest as a health marker because you can’t truly measure it. You feel it. But, it is not a magical thing, it is neuroscience and there have been studies examining brain activation during various situations. 

I learned this firsthand while caring for my dad with Alzheimer’s. Growing up, my dad was always the one to cook dinner, clean the table, and do the grocery shopping. As his Alzheimer’s progressed, it was no longer safe for him to engage in such activities. He grew frustrated and often angry because these routines he had completed most of his life were now being taken away. In a support group I was a part of, the facilitator suggested that I allow him to do some low-risk activities in the kitchen. From that day forward, my dad took on the role of cleaning all the dishes and the kitchen. Let me tell you, he washed the dishes with such pride and purpose that it eased so many other frustrating moments brought on by his disease. 

Studies have shown that people who are passionate or connected to a purpose tend to live longer than others as we age. To read more about this, check out this study with the elderly and plants here. 

So, what is your purpose? What keeps you going? How can you use this purpose to continue to enhance your well-being?