Chris Wondra . com

An ongoing struggle I’ve always had is that I’m not certain what I’m supposed to be doing. Is it teaching? Writing? Leading?

I have a lot of interests, so I’m always feeling sort of half into something and half into something else. I struggle with a reason for my existence. Why am I here? What should I be doing?

I often worry that I may be doing the wrong thing. That I may have made a wrong choice. And that perhaps I would be finding more success/happiness/abundance if I had chosen differently.

Today I stumbled upon a truth that puts a rest to some of that. I share this because, maybe you’re kind of like me. Maybe you struggle a bit with this same issue. Maybe this will ring true for you as well.

A simple life purpose.

At first I thought it was two-fold and went like this:

The purpose of my life is to become more conscious so that I can then bring more consciousness into the world.

But upon reflection I realized that it is simpler than that even. And it goes like this:

Become more conscious.

Doing so will automatically bring more consciousness into the world. So that first one is redundant.

And it automatically removes a ton of stress and doubt about the what and the where of my life. A lot of choices and decisions become irrelevant and really not worth sweating. I don’t have to worry so much about if I’m giving my attention and energy to the right things. All I have to really concern myself with is how I’m doing these things.

So how? How do I become more conscious?

Exactly.

I think I’m finally realizing that it doesn’t matter what I do or where I go. The important thing is how I do these things. This is what will bring awareness–to myself and the things I touch.

So in that spirit, I share with you a quote from Mother Theresa that I recently stumbled upon.

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone may destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is all between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

So what is my purpose? Why am I here? What am I supposed to be doing? In the end, I think these are all sort of the wrong questions. Things become a heck of a lot simpler if I limit the majority of my attention to the present moment, my attitude, and the energy I’m choosing to bring into the now.

It doesn’t matter what. It doesn’t matter where. And according to Mother Theresa, results don’t matter that much either. Whew! Kind of feels like a 10-ton anchor has been dropped from around my neck.

I wonder if I’ll ever pick it back up again. Probably.

Hopefully, though, I can remember this and believe this. And perhaps next time I lift that chain and start fretting about choices and results and succeeding and whatever else we value most in this society, it will weigh a little less.

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