What If Finding Your Purpose Is Simpler Than You Think?

When I was doing private coaching, so many clients came to me wanting to find their purpose. They would sit across from me and ask, “Why did my soul come here? What am I meant to accomplish?”

There was always a sense of sadness tucked inside those questions—as if life was slowly passing them by, and they were somehow missing the mark.

Those questions feel overwhelming, impossible even, to answer. We are conditioned to look for something tangible we can point to and say, “There it is!” We think finding our purpose requires solving a major crisis affecting the world, impacting humanity on a grand scale, or building something monumental.

But what if our purpose isn’t that complicated? What if the answer is simple?

Overthinking the big picture often keeps us from living it.

I read a lot of spiritual texts and listen to a lot of podcasts. Over the years, I’ve come to a very grounded conclusion about how we find our purpose and what it actually is. It’s so simple that it might almost feel disappointing to the part of us that believes we have to struggle and work relentlessly to achieve it:

Our purpose is found in simply living a joyful life.

We don’t have to climb uphill hunting for it. It finds us the moments we engage in the things that spark the natural joy we were created to live in. When you do that, you shine in a way that naturally touches everyone around you—and that light is your purpose.

Living in that light opens you up to greater possibilities. The more you shine, the more lives you can touch. And that's when God can really use your gifts to truly fullfil your purpose. 

The real work isn't chasing an elusive dream; it's choosing joy over and over again, especially when life feels heavy.

It means allowing yourself to flow through the experiences of life—both the good and the difficult parts—with a heart open to accepting challenges as Divine spinach for your soul. Those hard seasons are packed with the exact nutrients you need to step into your inner authority and relate to others with genuine empathy.

How do you find peace when you stop treating life as a problem to fix?

On a recent episode of the Dear Gabby podcast, guest Sean Collyns put this so beautifully:

“Your purpose finds you as soon as you stop becoming a victim to the hardships that you are going through.”

When we stop letting our pain define us, step outside the self-pity of “why me,” and choose to heal, we naturally step into our inner wisdom and purpose. Our souls are having these human experiences to learn, grow, and support one another. Navigating our own pain is how we build the strength to quiet the noise and become a beacon of hope for someone else walking a similar path.

A simple practice for intentional living.

We live our purpose by showing up each day in small, intentional ways. You don't need a grand stage to make aligned decisions that light up a room.

Whenever you spark joy, make someone feel seen, or offer support, you are living your purpose:

• Offering a warm smile and a kind word to the cashier at the grocery store.

• Holding compassionate space for a client who is having a tough day.

• Serving someone with genuine hospitality or helping a coworker with a stressful task.

The One Simple Challenge

This week, when you feel the urge to pull back or overthink whether you are "doing enough" with your life, pause and ask yourself: What already feels true right now? How can I bring a moment of simple joy to this exact room?

Choose one tiny act of kindness today—not to check a box, but simply to let your light shine.

Until next time, let your inner light guide you,

Jessica

P.S. You know I love to hear your thoughts! Have you ever felt overwhelmed trying to "find your purpose," or have you noticed how small moments of joy shift your day? Hit reply and share your story with me—I can’t always reply to every response, but I read every single one of them and try to respond to as many as possible!

(If you'd like to dive deeper into this topic, I highly encourage listening to the August 21, 2026, episode of Dear Gabby—it conveys this message so beautifully!)