Are you struggling to find your purpose?

He squatted in the hallway, stood up, squatted again, did a squat walk and went into the stairwell.  Halfway down the stairs he stopped again, turning around on the stairs.  I was watching out of the corner of my eye wondering what he was up to. He has done some weird things over the years simply for the reward of my laugh, especially if he wanted to cheer me up.  But I didn't need cheering up and his behaviour was unnerving.  Several minutes passed.  I kept my eye on him as he silently went through some Ninja-like moves.

Questions bounced off the silence as I watched my spouse's odd behaviour.  Had he lost it?  Was this the beginning of the end of life as I knew it? I went straight to the life questions with all the drama I could muster because that's how my brain works.  Within moments I imagined enough awful things to scare myself to hell and back. In the interest of self-preservation, I asked him, "What are you doing?"

All the emphasis was on the word 'what' and his answer was simply, "Trying to get a cell signal."

Signal searching 2016

I failed to notice he was carrying his mobile phone along for the squatting and stealthy moves in the hallway.  Relieved, I set all my scary thoughts aside in favour of a belly laugh.  In place of the scary imaginings, I began thinking about the importance of a strong signal.

Our need for a strong signal

In the old days finding your North Star was  an analogy for figuring out your purpose; today we might relate better to finding a strong signal.  We go through all kinds of crazy machinations to be in a spot with good wi-fi at some point on vacation.  We search out the strongest signal in the house or in the campground.  Frustration sets in quickly if we lose a signal on the road mid-conversation.  The words, I lost you, are a common part of our language.  Fear encroaches when we are lost in an area with no coverage at all.  Most of us can relate to the practical need for a strong signal on our devices; but do we devote as much energy to finding our life signal?

Daily reminders to refocus on our signal

Every time you pick up your phone, check the signal, ask for a wi-fi password, or find yourself repeating the words, I lost you, give some thought to whether or not you are tuned into your life signal.  When you start to seek out your life signal, the reception might be sketchy.  It may frustrate you and make you uncertain, but we all have a purpose which we can find by tuning in. So go do your Ninja-moves, descend the stairwell or stand on the picnic table.  Whatever it takes, get tuned into your life signal.  Read, meditate, sleep, take a recess time regularly, laugh often, be of service to others, demonstrate kindness and compassion - your list may look different than mine.  I'd suggest there is no one formula.  However, there is one absolutely non-negotiable thing we must do if we hope to ever find and lock into our life signal, and that is to build our awareness and begin the quest.

How do you tune into your life-signal?  Share your thoughts, together we are able to learn so much more than alone...