Have you heard of the concept of Dharma? It’s the idea that we all have a purpose in life and our job is to figure it out and live it. I’ve over-simplified it for you- but for a deeper reading check out Deepok Chopra’s The Law of Dharma.

“Everyone has a purpose in life . . . a unique gift or special talent to give to others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of our own spirit, which is the ultimate goal of all goals.”-Deepok Chopra

Some of us lose sight of our life’s purpose. But, as kids, we have a very clear idea of what we can offer the world and have no fear telling people. Just ask any kiddo what they want to be when they grow up and you’ll see creativity in motion with answers like; “a superhero”, “a fireman, a dancer and a doctor and a lawyer” “a mermaid”… you get the point.

As kids we have no fear of judgment or failing… we are just excited about every possibility and we really BELIEVE we can do these things. When we become “grown-ups” we abandon this place of creativity and freedom to blend in and follow societal rules and cultural values. We replace creativity with reason, freedom with rules, and purpose with “just doing our job”.

But don’t worry guys- there’s good news! We CAN  re-claim and re-discover our child-like creativity and thus, our life purpose, and feel that sense of curiosity again. I think we have to do some un-doing of what society tells us about purpose. I read a lot of philosophy and personal development books because I LOVE reminding myself that we have a choice and a purpose that matters! A lot of people just forget that and when they find themselves in a place of dissatisfaction with their current life situation they don’t remember HOW to tap into their innate sense of purpose.

When I was trying to get motivated to start New Mama Wellness I came across the idea of passion mind-mapping. It really inspired me and helped me identify my purpose. It also helped me feel confident in pursing my passion. I really like to use this passion mapping exercise. It can help re-ignite our inner fire and remind us that we are unique and special and deserve to live our lives with purpose (like we did as kids)!  Give yourself permission to become aware of your dharma and unlock your inner creativity to re-discover your passion!

 “The purpose of life is a life of purpose” –David Byrne

Here’s an exercise to access your inner passion and purpose:

Sit down with a few blank pieces of paper and give yourself 15 minutes to just free write as you explore the questions below. If you are an artistic person you can draw your answers out in whatever visual representation feels good for you. Let go of negative thoughts and try to allow your inner child-like creativity to flow.  Don’t put limitations on any of your answers. Just let it flow!

1. Think about a time that you felt alive, energized and unstoppable… what were you doing?
2. If you had $2 million dollars in the bank, what would you do with your time (NOT what you would buy, but what would you do with your time if you didn’t need to worry about getting a paycheck)?
3. What do you like to learn about, what do you research online- write these words down in free flow
4. Visualize your perfect day- what are you doing, who are you talking to, what does it look like?
5. What do you want people to say about you when you’re dead, what is your legacy, what do people remember about you?

Now once your free flow is done, organize the answers in whatever way feels good for you. Look at any themes that emerged, do you see certain words or ideas that are repeated? Does anything jump out at you? Trust yourself!

Here’s one of my passion mind-maps : )