What is purpose?

“‘I have done my best.’ That is about all the philosophy of living one needs.”
— Yutang, Lin

To put it simply, your purpose is to live authentically — be who you really are at your core, and you are living your purpose.

So it is not about getting that star job. It is not about getting that dream home. It is not based on circumstance.

It is everything and anything that you do, and doing it with joy and authenticity.

What about loving our children?

“Loving our children isn’t always enough. Learning to speak their love language communicates your love in ways they’ll understand right from the start.”
— Gary Chapman

How do we express our love for our children? Often we confuse our communication styles and the “love” message can get misunderstood by our ever-independence-seeking children (and they might not know how to show they love us either).

Learning to show your love in the ways that each unique and individual child understands love will give you that ever-illusive peace in the family.

One friend of mine started understanding how to finally explain to his children that helping around the house was THE way to show him they loved him (acts of service). Now the boys do their chores with ease because they know it is a quick and easy way to say “Hey dad, I love you.” And after talking it over with his boys, dad now knows that for one boy, it’s plenty of hugging and for the other it’s verbal praise.

Five languages of love

“Being sincere is not enough. We must be willing to learn our spouse’s primary love language if we are to be effective communicators of love.”
— Gary Chapman

It seems to come back to communication. In our relationships, we may have the best of sincerity, but if we are communicating in a way that is not understood by the other person, the message becomes lost.

And once again, it comes back to asking the right questions: How do you like others to show that they love you? And what shows love for them? And the funny thing is, they could be completely different things expressed in completely different ways.

So if you want to show your spouse that you love them, you have to ask what makes them feel loved. Is it hugs and kisses? Is it helping out with the housework? Is it a surprise gift every now and then? Is it hearing that they are special and loved by you? Is it taking some time out of your busy day to just be there? And then they need to know what works for you.

Take the 30 second test at http://www.fivelovelanguages.com/30sec.html and find out if you and your spouse are speaking the same love language?