Toronto Nutritionist – Jane Durst-Pulkys – Finding Your True Purpose
I always wondered what I wanted to be when I grew up! Even at forty years old, I still had no idea what my purpose was. During my search for that clarity a friend often asked me, “What do you love more than anything else in the world that you would be willing to do for free?”
As I began to explore this question for myself, I discovered my own unique purpose lay in something I’d always loved to do: cooking. Earlier in my twenties I’d attained a degree as a dietician, but after having three children, my attention turned to family and entertaining for family and friends. People always raved about my salads and special meals I prepared. That was a clue for me about what my true purpose is.
Later, my love of cooking and health drew me to get a degree as a nutritionist. Add a dash of this and that, I finally found my passion and my purpose. Eventually I married my purpose to my career to create an extremely fulfilling life.
Carol Adrienne, author of The Purpose of Your Life says, “The more you can actually experience the feeling of using a talent, the more you will attract opportunities for its expression.”
By using your talents and gifts, you will find yourself achieving more integrity within yourself.
Our purpose may not be our career, but in something much more intrinsic to our way of being. Life is a bit like a movie with a theme and characters. We may find that we are drawn along a certain theme in life to discover more about the purpose of the story we are in. Some of the themes that may guide us to our purpose are: travel, nature, environment, pets, food, mechanics or other themes that we have a strong passion for. Or we may find that a turning point in our life creates an urgency to explore health, finances or another area of life, therefore giving us more awareness about what we have a passion for.
Sometimes we are blind to our purpose because the idea of being different in the eyes of others is too much to bear. Perhaps we are meant to be a health practitioner, artist, writer or athlete but we allow the opinions of our family or friends to deter us from what would truly bring joy and happiness to ourselves and others. Too often we let another’s opinion dissuade us from investigating what we know in our heart may fulfill us.
One night while lying in my bed I asked myself, if I died today would I have any regrets? The answer was no! I’ve never let anyone else’s opinion get in the way of being the best me I can be. After many years, I did discover a way to serve in my career and in my life. Today each day is a joy as I serve life with my own unique gifts and talents as a nutritionist and coach.
Know that you have an important reason for being alive. You can make a difference. Begin now to explore the themes in your life and what brings out the best in you and others. You can discover your own unique purpose through following your heart and trusting in that universal force within us all.
By Jane Durst-Pulkys