Stop Searching

Everyone I know is searching to find their life’s purpose… to find the answer to the question, “Why am I here?” I’ve been traveling that path myself for quite some time. And the fact that the purpose remains elusive only seems to reinforce how important it must be. Anything so difficult to find must be very precious and worthy of possessing.

Ever wonder why God (in whatever iteration of being you deem that to be) seems to have sent us on such a convoluted and arduous journey? Is it to test our resolve? Is it to strengthen our stamina? Is there more value in the search than in the destiny?

These are all questions I’ve asked because it seems to my logical mind that fulfilling a purpose would be more important than spending decades searching for it… and perhaps lifetimes. Just doesn’t seem like a good system to me.

When we’re facing something that doesn’t seem logical, there is often one question we forget to ask – one that could make all the difference: “If this doesn’t make sense, is the world nuts or am I seeing things wrong?” Things are only logical based upon the logic you’re using.

It’s likely that you believe that if you toss a ball in the air, it will fall back to the ground. After all, what goes up must come down, right? Ask Isaac Newton. So, what if you throw the ball up into the air and, instead of falling, it keeps rising? That doesn’t make sense. It wouldn’t be logical. No – not with the logic tied to gravity. But, it would be logical if you were at zero gravity. In that case, the continually rising ball makes perfect sense.

As obvious as this physical example is, it also reflects an important universal principle: things make sense based upon what you believe to be true. I remember, as a child, a friend told me that every color in the world mixed together made white. He’d heard it on some science show and I just knew he was nuts. As a budding artist I’d mixed paints together more than once and the more colors you mixed together the muddier and browner it got – not white… never white! Of course later I found out that this statement was indeed true – if you’re talking of the color in light waves. But, at the time his claim didn’t make sense… not with my paint paradigm.

So, let’s get back to searching for life purpose. If you’ve been searching high and low, introspecting like crazy, meditating, praying, and wishing on stars – and you still haven’t a clue, is it possible that there isn’t a purpose to find? I’m not saying there isn’t a purpose. I’m just hypothesizing that perhaps it’s the search that’s misguided.

If you’re familiar with Neale Donald Walsch’s Conversations with God books, he also puts out an online e-zine periodically. In one of his issues, he said that our life’s mission is exactly what we say it is. He warns us that a purpose isn’t something to find, but something we create. He says that life isn’t about discovery, it’s about creation.

How’s that for a paradigm shift! Can the search be over? Is it really as simple as deciding what your purpose is and just doing it? But, don’t you need to meet some kind of criteria or standard? I mean, can you just choose any thing?

Think about this a bit… throughout your awakened life you’ve been told that there is nothing outside of you. That the material world you see is an illusion and that you are an eternal spirit having a temporary physical experience. That you are a powerful creator and that whatever you want, you can achieve – if you believe. Would it then make sense that your purpose in life would be something you’d need to find out there?

If this is true, it’s going to require some major shifts in thought and belief. See, all thought systems are cohesive. Change one thing and everything is thrown into question. If your purpose is self-created, then there’s no need to get ready (code for procrastination). There’s no ultimate right purpose to figure out the secret to (code for procrastination). There are no more books to read or gurus to hear or prayers to say (code for procrastination).

Are you ready for that – am I? See, the search has been the perfect excuse to not be living our purpose. And why in the world would we want that? Well, let’s face it – if you are living your purpose then you could fail, you could be criticized, you could find that it isn’t very much fun. As long as you’re in the search, you’re admired and receive sincere empathy for the difficulty of the noble quest. Of course, you’re being admired by others that are just as petrified of finding their purpose for exactly the same reasons. A little spiritual co-dependence.

So, which is it? Is life purpose incredibly hard to find; maybe even impossible? Or are we just not taking responsibility for creating it? All I know is that when you can’t find something, after years of looking, maybe you’re looking in the wrong place.

It’s like the lady who dropped her keys when she got out of her car. A neighbor saw her walking slowly back and forth in the night under a street lamp. “What are you looking for?” the neighbor asked.

“I lost my car keys.”

The neighbor noticed her car several yards away and asked, “Did you lose them here?”

“Oh, no, I lost them over by the car,” she said, pointing into the darkness.

“Then why are you looking here?” he asked.

“Because this is where the light is and I can see here!”

Create… Neale Donald Walsch says. Follow your heart, decide, and create. Pretty simple formula. And deep in your soul you’ve suspected this all along – be honest. Haven’t you known that you’ve been holding back? Haven’t you felt it in your gut when you daydream about your heart’s desire and then do nothing about it? Who are you kidding? And why are you procrastinating? Procrastination is nothing but fear in respectable clothing.

Are you afraid of failing? Of not measuring up? Of falling short of expectations?

How can you fail… this is your dream, your purpose, and you are creating it. Seems to me that it would be pretty difficult to not be successful doing what you want… when you are in charge of the doing and the motivation. Besides, you’re already a master creator! Look at all you’ve already created in your life. You fear… you create a frightening life. You doubt… you create a life of suspicion and hesitation.

The principle of creation is boundless – but it is predictive. Envision disaster and you will create disaster. Thoughts are the substance of creation… the warp and woof of the tapestry of your life. Your entire history will prove this out. So, here it is – your purpose is yours to create and you will create it with your thoughts. Could be a good time to start managing your thoughts more closely!

Just for today, stay aware of the flavor of the thoughts in your head. Are they thoughts of inspiration and creation or thoughts of fear and retreat? Before thoughts affect the world, they first affect you. One of the best monitors for what you’re thinking is how you’re feeling.

Thoughts of fear and protection and doubt will create feelings of dread and withdrawal. You become smaller with these thoughts. You destroy with these thoughts. You close out the world.

Thoughts of wonder and gratitude and exploration create feelings of joy and abundance. You expand with these thoughts – you create with these thoughts.

Thoughts are a choice. For today, choose thoughts that inspire you and see what you create!