7 Ways to Find Purpose after the Pandemic

Why are we here? It is a big and defining question. Perhaps our inner yearning makes us come back to this question from time to time. Asking questions like this allows us to step back and come to a better understanding of what matters in life. They give us perspective on our own lives — and our mind becomes focused on the choices we must make on fulfilling our destiny.

The world seemed to tilt on its axil during the pandemic. Some people, throughout the pandemic, worked, socialized and kept their lives the same, while others wallowed in the fear that a pandemic of this magnitude causes. Many found themselves depressed and unsure of the future.

How do we find some purpose and start to live again? After many life experiences and research, what I learned is there is always good that comes out of tragedy. There are always lessons that emerge from crisis. Good always eventually prevails over bad situations.

Here are 7 ways to find purpose in life:

• Gratitude

• Connection

• Faith

• From Negative to Positive

• Set Goals

• Love over Fear

• Live in the NOW

Gratitude

Many of us are feeling a sense of gratitude for all we have after the pandemic. We appreciate our family in a whole new way, since many holidays for the last 2 years may have been spent alone or in an unconventional way. My whole family, except for me, had covid during Christmas of 2021, and I remember meeting my son by his car and exchanging a few gifts, for fear that I would catch covid. Even though it was a sad time, I appreciated seeing him for that short period. I had a renewed appreciation for my family. My family and I wound up celebrating Christmas in February. Gratitude helps us in a myriad of ways. If we are in a state of gratitude our lives become more positive and we are more likely not to complain and to see the glass half full.

In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.

I suggest writing a gratitude list of at least 5 things you are grateful for at the end of the day.

Connections

It’s so important to stay connected to friends, family, and co-workers, as you did before the pandemic. Stay in touch with positive people who lift you up. If you are still wearing a mask and afraid to be around people, or you are just starting to become social again, you want to remember that covid has decreased in its strength to harm people, and there are theraputics out there that offset covid. We have to live our life in the moment or we will squander minutes, into days, days into months, months into years and before long we realize that we are still standing still while the world is going on. We only have today and most of us lost 2 years of our life in doing normal activities, so start living now. As Wayne Dyer put it, “Life is not a dress rehearsal.”

Faith

Places of worship were closed down during the pandemic. Many of us watched our services online, at home, all alone or not at all. Getting back to in-house services is crucial to help you start living again. Research shows that faith benefits us in so many ways.

For example, researchers at the Mayo Clinic concluded, “Most studies have shown that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better health outcomes, including greater longevity, coping skills, and health-related quality of life (even during terminal illness) and less anxiety, depression, and suicide.

Faith is the foundation of our lives in order to have support during crisis and also hope with everyday life. Build that strong faith around you, like a tent that will shield you, if and when a crisis happens in your life. Being in the company of people, in a church, or synagogue, or mosque, or any place of worship, will help you move on in a positive way. It will bring you much joy.

From Negative to Positive

Look inward and see what transpires from some deep contemplation. Additionally, being positive will help your life go in a positive direction. Being positive will also help you find your purpose in life. When we are wallowing in negativity and complaints, well, more negativity will come your way. It is the law of attraction. The energy you release out into the world, will come back to you. Picture an echo chamber, when you yell the word love, love comes back. If you yell the word fear, fear will come back. When you start to feel negative and think negative thoughts, change the thought immediately to a positive one. With some effort you will be able to shift to thinking and speaking in a positive way. This is where gratitude comes into play. The more grateful you are, the more positive you will be.

Set Goals

It’s so important to have goals and dreams. Detail your goals in writing and make a game-plan to achieve these goals. Our purpose lies in those goals and dreams. Whatever you love doing, that is your purpose in life, provided it helps humanity in some way. I love writing and I use my writing to help society and in doing so it has become my purpose. However, it didn’t happen overnight. I have been writing for years. The fun has been in the journey of getting to where I want to be. This has given me purpose. When I found my purpose of writing, I was in a very dark place without any direction, once I started writing and living my purpose, the light came on and the darkness dissipatated. I felt a passion and joy that was so amazing. I find happiness in the work I do, regardless of the outcome. So, sit down and think about what you love doing and see how that would benefit society and start to take steps to achieve your goals. Just contemplating on what you love doing and therein will lie your purpose in life.

Love over Fear

Love is the opposite of fear. When you are resonating with God’s love, fear is impossible. Fear and love cannot co-exist. So, whenever you feel fear you know you are disconnected to your Higher Power. I use the word God; however, you have to resonate with the Higher Power of your understanding. Fear is an illusion and in twelve step programs the acronym is, False Evidence Appearing Real. When you think about it, fear is an illusion perpetrated by our brains that continually go back and relive nightmarish past experiences. The past is also an illusion, since it is just thoughts of things that already happened. Try to stay in love and when fear rears its ugly head, say a loving prayer or think about the love you have in your life. The main thing is to shift your thoughts from fear to love.

Live in the NOW

This moment is all we will ever have. The past is over and the future is not promised to anyone. This moment is all we have; this day is all we have. Many people squander time, which in my opinion is tragic. If we are not going to live now, when will we start living? Now is all we have; this moment you are living in is it. This is a quote I created for my book, The Third Road, Your Secret Journey Home.

This moment is all we have. Don’t believe me? Try to capture the previous moment or the future moment and change it.

I love this next quote too. I have it posted on my refrigerator, as a reminder to stop putting off travel, goals and dreams.

“If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I?

AND IF NOT NOW - WHEN?” Hillel (A Jewish religious leader and sage in 40 BCE).

When we come to the awareness that this moment is it, this is all we have, most people try to make the best of the moment and naturally want to start living on purpose and reaching their goals, which they may have been putting off for a while.

Try to resonate with the moment when you go on a walk, deliberately look at the trees and the birds and the sky. Listen to people who are talking to you, really listen to them. Be present in the moment; the only time there is. And one important factor is that God or our Higher Power is only in the moment, not in the past or the future, but in this moment.

And you are never too old to realize your purpose in life. Louise Hay was 58 years old when she started Hay House Publishing Company. Samuel Jackson was 46 years old (and in recovery from addiction to cocaine and heroin) before he starred alongside John Travolta in Pulp Fiction.
And you are never too young to realize your purpose. Elizabeth Taylor was 12 years old when she started her acting career. And Sally Field got her first role as an actress at 16 years old.

In conclusion, I want to reiterate the importance of moving forward in a positive and productive way after the pandemic, since most of us already lost over 2 years of our lives since, March of 2020. Let’s move on with confidence, grace and a feeling of purpose. Be courageous as you live the life you deserve. If you want to fulfill your destiny, which was determined before you were born, realize your goals and plan to achieve them. You were created for a reason, discover that reason, as we move into a new era, one with much clarity, focus and joy.

Rachel Devine author of, The Third Road - Your Secret Journey Home & Lessons from the Needle in a Haystack - Become a Magnet for True Love.

Please check out my online courses, events, retreats & more on my website.