Finding Purpose and Meaning
A Kitten is a Girl's Best Friend
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| Meet Milly ! |
So if you don't understand the title of this post you will soon enough! I am currently in the process of adopting a kitten from a local animal refuge and I have decided to name her Milly! Growing up I was never allowed to have a pet because my parents thought that I wouldn't help take care of it and I have always longed for a pet of my own. As a child I dreamed of owning a dog but as I have gotten older I have developed a new liking for kittens and cats. They are often considered unfriendly or aloof but I have learned that many cats can be quite affection and are not aloof but merely self sufficient. So bringing home my newly adopted cat will be one of the final touches to my new apartment and will truly make it my own home. However my desire to adopt a kitten has deeper meaning than simply fulfilling a childhood dream. I honestly believe that my ability to save another living being and the responsibility I will have to take care of her will aid me in feeling a sense of purpose and provide me with motivation to stay health. Milly will be dependent on me for everything and it is my duty to her to stay well and out of treatment. If I get sick I may be forced back into treatment but more importantly she will be forced to return to the animal shelter and that is the last thing I want. Milly is already acting as a motivator for me to stay well not just for myself but for her as well. Obviously it is not possible for all of us to adopt kittens nor would I recommend it but in life it is crucial for us to find things that give us a sense of purpose and motivate us to be our best everyday. The issue with motivators is that they are constantly changing. Something that used to fulfill our needs may no longer suffice. For instance my friends and social life used to motivate me to stay well or get better. Ultimately I discovered that those things were no longer important enough to me and I turned to school as my primary motivator. Recently I have found myself in a rut, feeling purposeless, and unmotivated by anything or anyone in my life. Nothing seemed worth staying well for. Finding Milly at the shelter and feeling an immediate connection with her gives me hope that not only are kittens a girl's best friend but that she will help fill the void in my life. I want to stay well because I want to continue caring for her and loving with her. I have a purpose because without me she would still be in the cold metal cage at the animal refuge waiting for a warm and loving home. I am saving her but at the same time she is saving me by providing me with a sense of purpose and reason to stay well. As always I have some quotes to share with you that relate to my overall themes: purpose and motivation.The first quote is a moderately humorous quote about fleeting motivation-
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| Motivation does need to be out of reach- |
- Zig Ziglar
While motivation may not last this is no excuse not to pursue it. Like bathing, we must do it regularly. Although we are bound to get dirty and be forced to bathe again imagine if you never showered at all. The filth would just continue to build up and it would be less than advantageous for your hygiene as well as your social and professional lives. The same goes with motivation. If we don't seek motivators routinely a residual laziness, depression, and lack of fulfillment will certainly build. Although your current motivator may not last the test of time you must use it while it exists. When it no longer works for you search for another outlet. Refraining from find motivation will have negative effects similar to refusing to shower. You may not be physically filthy but your mentality will certainly suffer.
The following quote more specifically explains how motivation serves us in our daily lives and differentiates it from other elements-
“Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.”
- Lou Holtz
While ability defines what we are capable of and attitude impacts the quality of our work neither would matter without motivation. Motivation instigates our behaviors and determines what we actually do. Ability would mean nothing if we didn't have the motivation to get up and put our skills to good use. Having something or someone that motivates us in our everyday lives stimulates us and provokes us to take action. Once we have taken this action it is our attitude that affects the quality and way we complete a task. The three elements are reliant upon each other. Ability, motivation, and attitude- we wouldn't be the productive, animated, and fabulous people we are without all three.
So this post comes down to one simple question- what motivates you right now? If you can't answer this question give it a little thought. Is it your children, your work, your goals, your family, your pet? What is it that keeps you waking up every morning and living life? If you pondered the question for a bit and are still unable to find an answer then you have a new quest for yourself. Find something, anything, that gives you purpose and motivation. It doesn't need to be complex or even a huge commitment (like my kitten will certainly be.) Just think about your life and what matters to you. Who or what do you love and care about? If you can answer this question than discovering what your motivator is will naturally follow. We all know that life can get us down and that nothing lasts forever including motivators. But the key to keep going is to have a fall back or even multiple motivators at once. If one lets you down or fails to continue working for you it is your job to find or create another. I have chosen to create a purpose and motivation for myself by adopting this kitten. What will you choose to do? There is no wrong answer. That is the fabulous thing about life. Whatever feels right or works for you is always the correct answer. So look around you, reflect upon your life, and allow yourself to see that you have a purpose, your life has meaning, and motivation surrounds you when give yourself the time to recognize it.
Keep going because you matter,
xo
While ability defines what we are capable of and attitude impacts the quality of our work neither would matter without motivation. Motivation instigates our behaviors and determines what we actually do. Ability would mean nothing if we didn't have the motivation to get up and put our skills to good use. Having something or someone that motivates us in our everyday lives stimulates us and provokes us to take action. Once we have taken this action it is our attitude that affects the quality and way we complete a task. The three elements are reliant upon each other. Ability, motivation, and attitude- we wouldn't be the productive, animated, and fabulous people we are without all three.
So this post comes down to one simple question- what motivates you right now? If you can't answer this question give it a little thought. Is it your children, your work, your goals, your family, your pet? What is it that keeps you waking up every morning and living life? If you pondered the question for a bit and are still unable to find an answer then you have a new quest for yourself. Find something, anything, that gives you purpose and motivation. It doesn't need to be complex or even a huge commitment (like my kitten will certainly be.) Just think about your life and what matters to you. Who or what do you love and care about? If you can answer this question than discovering what your motivator is will naturally follow. We all know that life can get us down and that nothing lasts forever including motivators. But the key to keep going is to have a fall back or even multiple motivators at once. If one lets you down or fails to continue working for you it is your job to find or create another. I have chosen to create a purpose and motivation for myself by adopting this kitten. What will you choose to do? There is no wrong answer. That is the fabulous thing about life. Whatever feels right or works for you is always the correct answer. So look around you, reflect upon your life, and allow yourself to see that you have a purpose, your life has meaning, and motivation surrounds you when give yourself the time to recognize it.
Keep going because you matter,
xo
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| Just one more of me and Milly- she should be home by the end of the week ! |
You made me realize purpose and motivation will not come looking for me--I have to find them. You are so helpful in clarifying my thoughts. Thank you! Thank you!
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