Speaker 1: 0:01

Hey there, welcome to another episode of Must Know Before you Die. This is the first episode of the first season, so to say that we're doing on getting through your 20s successfully. I'm Nia and I'm so glad that you're here with me today. If you're in your 20s, or really whatever age you might be, this episode is for you. Today we're diving into one of those big, sometimes daunting topics of finding your passion and purpose. What really lights up your fire, and really at the core of all of that, is getting to know yourself. Our 20s are really the time to experiment and to understand what brings us happiness. So get cozy, grab a cup of coffee or tea or whatever helps you relax, and let's get into it. So, finding your passion and purpose. It does really sound like something straight out of a motivational posture, right, but what does it actually mean and, more importantly, how do we go about figuring it out? Go about figuring it out.

Speaker 1: 1:51

I want to start by saying that if you're feeling a little lost or unsure about what you want to do with your life, if you're, you know, confused about it all, you're not alone. Most of us go through that point at some point, especially in our 20s. It's the time of exploration and growth. And, yes, sometimes confusion, and that's okay. Let's start with the idea of passion. Passion is often taught as this big, burning desire that you're supposed to feel very intensely at all times. But here's the thing Passion doesn't always have to show up as fireworks. Sometimes it's more about quiet, persistent curiosity, something that tucks on your mind even if you don't understand why. So how do you start identifying your passions? One of the best ways is to pay attention to what naturally draws your interest. What are the things that you find yourself thinking about or wanting to learn more about in your free time? What activities make you lose track of your time? These are important clues. They don't have to be some grand thing or world changing. Your passions could be something as simple as baking, or fascination with history, or the desire to help others with history, or the desire to help others. Take a moment right now and think about the last time that you felt genuinely excited or deeply interested in something, and what was it? Don't judge it or, you know, try to criticize yourself. Just notice it. These little moments are really important. Those are the breadcrumbs leading towards figuring out what your passion is, what your true interests are your true interests are. Take a note of these moments and, if you can take the notes app or an actual notebook and write them down, have a list of the moments that you felt alive.

Speaker 1: 4:41

Now let's talk about purpose. While passion is about what excites you, purpose is about what gives your life meaning. What is the why behind what you do? Purpose is often tied to how you contribute to the world, whether it is through your work, your family, your relationships, your community, your hobbies. But here is the thing about purpose it doesn't have to be also some huge or overarching mission. Your purpose can be found in the small, everyday actions that make a difference, whether it is being a supportive friend or creating something beautiful or making others smile. You know, it can be as small as that.

Speaker 1: 5:48

One of the best ways to start uncovering your purpose is by thinking about what values matter the most to you. Is it kindness? For me, it's definitely kindness the most important value or maybe for you, it is creativity or justice or a sense of adventure Creativity or justice or a sense of adventure? Think about the things that make you feel fulfilled and how can you incorporate more of those moments into your life. Another exercise that can be really helpful is to think about the people that you admire. What is it about them that inspires you? Often, the qualities that we admire in others are the same qualities we want to cultivate in ourselves. This can be a very important insight into what is really meaningful and purposeful to you. So take a moment to write down the people that you admire, or the characteristics that you admire in them, whether it's that person with a lot of humor or charisma or an excellent sense of style, or just like somebody that's really knowledgeable in a certain area of life. When you feel that, when you feel that admiration, or in the shadow side of it is when you feel jealousy of somebody for being a certain way. That can also be a sign into which values are important to you.

Speaker 1: 7:39

I remember when I was in my early 20s, I had this idea that I needed to figure everything out right away. That's the kind of idea that's pushed onto us right. If I want to go to college or I did really want to go to college I expected myself to figure out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. At that time, I thought that I needed to find out what my passions and all of my interests are at the time, and if I didn't, I was somehow failing. But the truth is, finding your passion and purpose is more of a journey than a destination. Than a destination, it's about exploring different interests, trying new things and allowing yourself to grow and learn and change. For example, I've always been interested in storytelling and art, but it took me a while to figure out which mediums work for me or how I wanted to express that. And I'm trying many things. I'm trying writing, photography, painting, even some amateur filmmaking and, of course, as you can hear, podcasting, and honestly, I enjoy all of those things. Each of those experiences are teaching me something valuable, even the ones that don't quite work or fit. Every step and even every misstep are bringing me closer to what I really want to do. So if you're feeling uncertain, give yourself permission to explore and experiment.

Speaker 1: 9:57

It's okay not to have from different walks of life. The more that you expose yourself to different experiences, the more you'll learn about what really resonates with you. And remember your passion and purpose can evolve over time, over time. What matters is that you're open to the process of discovering and rediscovering what makes you feel alive and fulfilled. Before we wrap up, I want to leave you with this thought Finding your passion and purpose is not about creating a perfect plan for your life. It's about understanding yourself, what you really care about and how you want to spend your time. You know this really precious collection of time that we've got called life. So take your time, be patient with yourself if you don't figure it out immediately, and trust that with each new experience that you're getting closer to knowing what makes your life meaningful.

Speaker 1: 11:26

Thank you so much for joining me today. I hope this episode gave you some helpful insights or at least a little bit of comfort, if you're in the space of figuring things out. If you've enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing and leaving a review. I would love to hear your thoughts and any topics you'd like me to cover in the future. Until next time, remember. Remember you don't have to figure everything out right now. Just keep exploring and growing and, most importantly, keep being kind and compassionate to yourself. You are doing better than you think.