How did you find your purpose?

Core to our mission is helping our audience and community reach their full potential and the most important part of reaching your full potential is starting to find your purpose. Below, we’ve shared stories and insights from the community around how various folks found their purpose and we hope it helps you in your journey.

Kathleen Cisarik

Starting KMC Handbags as a business venture in the Spring of 2018 was more than just a business idea. It all started from sewing individual, custom-made handbags…and here we are years later with our own manufacturer producing my initial handbag designs. It all began with always dreaming how to sew and owning my own business. I knew it was important to gain experience in the fashion industry, preferably from an established designer.  Read more>>

Donna Sheratan

What do you do for self/care and what impact has it had on your effectiveness. With these trying times, the need for self-care and prioritizing our wellness is huge. For me its Meditation an the Spa. Meditation allows me to take on the day with greater focus, clarity, and inner peace. A spa day offers ways to treat my mind and body. Escaping from the chaos of the city streets, to a quiet oasis of calming lights, soothing water sounds and herbal tea. Even creating a Spa Day at Home, light a scented candle, run a deep hot bath, add some lavender oil, listen to relaxing music can help to unwind and recharge. Read more>>

Monika Demmler

I was actually always drawn to music. When I was a kid, I tried to learn as many instruments as possible, however didn’t know that music-making would play such an important role in my life later. After having done an apprenticeship as a bank clerk, I went on to become a high school teacher for English and History. During my time at university, I got a scholarship at the University of Vermont, where I took a class on “Blues and Jazz Music in African-American American Prose Fiction.”  Read more>>

Natalia Gonzalez Hernandez

I endured and survived physical, sexual, emotional, economic, psychological, and technological abuse from a domestic partner. The process of becoming a lawful permanent resident, a financially independent single mother of 1 (at the time) and of healing from an abusive relationship, took a huge toll on both my physical and mental health. But 12 years later, I can proudly say that not only did I achieve to survive it myself, but that I am now in a position that may inspire other women to do the same for themselves. Read more>>

Gregers Heering

This is a big topic, a big question – maybe even the biggest one of them all… 🙂 So… Let me start by saying, I’m not sure I’ve found ‘the big purpose’ or that I ever will. As I age, I’m questioning whether purpose as in ‘one purpose’ exists at all. I don’t think so, Just as I no longer believe people have just ‘one self’, ‘one nature’. What I DO believe is I don’t know. Maybe that’s IS the purpose on behalf of the universe or whatever spirituality or concepts you prefer. Read more>>

Michael Cabaniss

I discovered a fragment of the Alexander Mosaic at the Getty Museum in Malibu when I was 19, and knew it was a medium I needed in my life. I’ve ben self-taught ever since. Read more>>

Kimberly Maevers

I was blessed to have a friend and mentor for over 30 years that just happened to be a management and leadership development consultant. When we met in 1985, I was just starting my professional career as a young woman in a male dominated field of civil engineering, land development and construction. So, having another father-figure (I worked for my dad) to mentor me to become a strong, confident young professional was my very good fortune. As my personal life and career evolved, I never stopped leaning on my friend and mentor for sage advice and guidance. Even after moving 1200 miles away, we still managed to connect on the phone, via snail mail, email and texts and we never quit helping each other. Read more>>

Derek Juntunen

Photography and videography have been a part of my life going back to when I was a kid and it was always one of my favorite ways of self-expression, but photography didn’t become my purpose until a dark period of my life in 2020. I had purchased my Fujifilm x100v days before the pandemic locked us all down, and this camera I’d thought I’d use to do street photography and spent a fair amount of money on was either collecting dust or taking photos of simple things around the house to pass the time. Read more>>

Emily Archila

Finding purpose is something that I continue to work towards every day. Designing and creating are some of my favorite things to do. The sense of fulfillment I experience from creating a product that empowers amazing people to do amazing things is purpose in and of itself. I have been in love with shoes, shoe design and contemporary fashion for many years; working as a professional designer for twenty years.  Read more>>

James Baybayan

Moving with purpose and intention is a mantra I stand by. I was able to find my purpose in helping guardians and their canine companions to live a more harmonious life together by way of positive reinforcement training through my very first dog I adopted while going to college. I soon realized that the school university system was not my path and the animal world was my calling. Having the ability to have my career path wrapped into my purpose in life is such a blessing that I will never take for granted. Improving the human animal bond is my mission and purpose! Read more>>

Megan Grant

Hi, I’m Megan! I’m the Founder & Memory Creator for Cherish Tours. World travel for me is genetic. My parents took me on my first airplane when I was only 6 months old, and I’ve been hooked on exploring ever since. But society taught me that there was a specific road map that I had to follow in life. Get good grades, get into college, graduate from high school, graduate from college, get a stable career, get married, and have kids. Not travel endlessly. Read more>>

L$P

Honestly, in the wilderness. I spent so many years kind of just stumbling through my days; living on autopilot. Especially in my twenties; it’s what you’re suppose to do right? One day that didn’t work for me anymore so I chose to do different, see different. I knew there was more for me here but, it was up to me to figure it out. No one else was going to do it for me. Read more>>

Katie Wallace

I discovered my purpose through a journey of exploration and self-reflection. I have always felt a creative pull toward a deeper, more personal form of expression. It was when I immersed myself in photography that I realized its transformative power to capture emotions, tell stories, and reflect the personalities of individuals. Read more>>

Zaphira Be

I think I’m starting to fine tune my purpose in life. I’ve been grasping at its edges for years. Slowly allowing it to grow and mold and become more clear. The big push into this clarity came from opening my own Esthetics practice in 2022. I’ve met thousands of women in my career, allowing me to continuously ask questions and learn and grow. It has been such an honor. I created my practice to help people feel comfortable and feel seen. I wanted to create a space that my younger self would feel empowered going to. Read more>>

Amber Roper

After surviving a random attack and sexual assault from a stranger while jogging on my neighborhood trail, I was diagnosed with severe post-traumatic stress disorder and didn’t leave my house for three months. I was in a deep, dark state of depression, anxiety and hopelessness. The pain felt unbearable at times. Being raised in a God-fearing household, I knew down in my soul that I could find hope in His word. Read more>>

Julie Adler

I feel like my purpose found me. And it bugged me for years to get it together! I always had a strong inner voice and the yearning to use it creatively but I was very afraid to. I was actually discouraged by my family from pursuing anything artistic during my formative years. So in a way, I feigned a lack purpose and kept my yearnings secret. Out of fear. I remember being quizzed by my father, a surgeon, about what I wanted to do after graduating UC Berkeley (where I majored in economics and french, the good student that I was) and I blurted out ‘international relations’. Read more>>

John Marshall

I went to India in 2014. I’d been a TV producer for most of my career and I was looking for a change. I thought I was going to write a book about volunteering my way around the country, but that never happened. I got extremely sick right away and ended up recuperating at a large orphanage on the Nepal border. My plan was to stay for a few weeks until I was well, but I ended up staying for six months. Once I got involved in orphanage life, I fell in love with the kids and started using my TV skills to raise money for them. Read more>>

Melissa Roth

I grew up in a home where graduating from high school and going straight to college was the plan. It was important to my parents, so it became important to me. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I went anyway. I got to college and after 2 years, realized I still didn’t know what I wanted to do, so I took a break. Even though it was always important to my family for me graduate, my parents always encouraged my creativity and doing something I was passionate about.  Read more>>

Rebekah Poe

I began my special education career as a paraprofessional. I quickly realized that working with this student population was my passion. After some encouragement from my principals, I went back to school and completed my Masters degree in Collaborative Education. In total, I was in the classroom for 12 years.  Read more>>

Debora Guetta

Finding purpose in life is a deeply personal ongoing process that it may evolve and change over time. Be patient with yourself, embrace self-discovery as it may take time and self-reflection to discover what truly brings meaning and fulfillment to your life. I personally allowed my purpose to unfold naturally as I navigate through my life’s experiences. When finding my purpose, I consider what deeply matters to me, what I enjoy doing, and what I am naturally drawn to. When I spend time in my art studio is when I feel alive and fulfilled as I work on my projects I enter in another dimension.  Read more>>

Courtney Kaplan

From a very early age, It was clear to me, my purpose was ‘caregiver’. Helping people feel better, brought me value and purpose. My first caregiving assignment was my parents, more specifically, my mother. My parents were better friends than lovers, however, without them there is no me. We will give them a pass. As I grew into my role, having my own little person to love and take care for made perfect sense, at least It made sense to seventeen year old me. At eighteen years old, I welcomed my first child, Aleaha. Supporting and raising a young child myself quickly became my purpose in life.  Read more>>

Muge Li

I started to want to pursue art when I was at school. I would like to spend most of my time on drawings. It lets me become creative and gives me inner peace. I can use my drawings to create a scene or story. One time, I asked myself what do you want to do in the future, I think I heard my heart says to be an artist. Read more>>

Alex Sparrow

When my first child was born, I realized my family needed a support system in order to thrive. Building that kind of resource list takes time and energy, at an especially vulnerable time of change. Often, though, we don’t allow ourselves to ask for help at the beginning of this process. When I given the opportunity to help a caregiver with their buckle carrier, or help educate them about the types of cloth diapers, I can also help them build their local resources. Read more>>

Therese Myers

Finding my purpose was a journey of self-discovery, fueled by a deep-seated belief that I was destined to lead and create change in the world. Despite many moments of doubt where it seemed an impossible task, a pivotal moment of clarity changed everything for me. Read more>>

Maria Isabel Segura

PURPOSE, is the perfect word to sum up my life, and lately, it has become my life’s motto. So, let me introduce myself and share with you how my purpose has always been present in my life. However, discovering it was a unique experience of rebirth, transformation, and resilience. I am Maria Isabel, but please feel free to call me Isa, as my relatives and people close to me usually call me, a passionate wellness interior architect who learned how to heal through design.  Read more>>

Haleigh Fisher

During my senior cross country season in high school I set a goal to be the best runner I could be. Always a high achiever, I aimed to be one of the best runners in the state and receive a college running scholarship. As I set out on this endeavor I made up my mind to train harder and to eat better believing those were the keys to success. Having little to no understanding of the science behind training theory and nutrition, I found myself over-training and undereating but achieving the running results I had desired.  Read more>>

Paige Powell-Revis

My purpose was initially instilled in me by my parents and extended family. They taught me hospitality, unconditional love and how to treat others with kindness and respect. These qualities and ultimately my purpose was, and still is, led very much by my faith as a follower of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, I believe I am called to use my passions and skills to help others and reflect beauty in the world through visuals representing all walks of the human experience. Read more>>

Patty Ramirez Pinckney

Some people are born cheerful and light. I was not one of them. I experienced a longing that I thought was part of life since I was a little girl. Moved by that longing, I had a deep desire to what I called ‘wake up’ as an adolescent and began a meditation practice. It was not until my 30s that I started experiencing life without that ‘background noise’ that I discovered life had a different joyful and peaceful flavor. Not only were my emotions and the way I experienced life affected by this energy, but my body too. Read more>>

Sara Koorjee

When I first started medical school, at the end of the first day of orientation, I was driving home into the setting sun and this overwhelming sense of peace came over my whole being and I felt, I am exactly where I am supposed to be. I have never had this feeling since that moment or ever before but it felt like I was connected to my purpose, I was on my path. Read more>>

Jeanelle Warren

Writing, for me, was always a therapeutic activity. I wrote my first short story at 6 years old while grounded. I named it the Adventures of Peter and Lucy and my two characters played outside and did the things that I wanted to do that day. After my mom read it and laughed from enjoyment, I kept writing. As I got older and my struggles and troubles got more complicated so did my stories. I would either integrate my life issues into my character’s lives to have someone to relate to, put them in a much better situation than I was in to give myself some sort of hope that things could be better, or put them in a much worse situation, to give myself a temporary reprieve from my current situation. Read more>>

Dave Nielsen

Like many people, I think my purpose has morphed quite a bit over my lifetime. Different circumstances call for different purposes. But, I’ve always loved music, and I’ve always wanted to be a part of the industry. When I was growing up, my older sister worked for major record labels in L.A. and N.Y., most notably Warner Bros. and Elektra (she is 16 years my senior) and that always seemed so amazing to me, kind of a “faraway, yet so close” thing… to be a part of an industry that I felt was in my DNA.  Read more>>

Terese

It took until age 31 until I truly found my purpose, and for me it was all a conincidence, but it happened when I let go of my set idea of having to do what I felt like society expected, a respectable academic career with a fancy title, and going with what I was truly passionate about. After having ventured into various careers, including chemistry, sales management, product development, I started a Youtube channel capturing the life as an international student in Los Angeles, just for fun, learning how to film and edit and randomly was asked to make content for the gym I was training at. Read more>>

Jane Hunt

In my paintings, I am focused on creating a feeling of peace – both in the making of, and viewing of, my work. Since I was small, all I ever wanted to do was create art. After moving to the US, I went to art school and got a degree in illustration. I figured the commercial side of things would be more practical, but all I ever really wanted to do was paint. Read more>>

Kent Barker

As a young person, I believed initially that my purpose was to be a dancer. It was something that brought me so much joy and because of that, I wanted to follow it. I moved to New York to accept a scholarship with Joffrey Ballet the day I graduated high school, but a knee injury very quickly ended that aspiration. About a year later I was casually introduced to photography by a college friend. She was doing darkroom work for a class and invited me in to watch the process.  Read more>>

Drin Lezhe’

When I was a kid as early as 7 I remember writing songs on random pieces of paper, with markers, crayons, and anything I could find. I would lock myself in the closet and listen to music like Evanescence, Eminem, ACDC, and Pink. I became infatuated with how I could conceptualize the words as if I was there with the artist experiencing what they experienced. When I was 12, my aunt bought be a Casio for Christmas and my dad turned our closet into a studio for me. That was the beginning of my jam sessions. Read more>>

Krista Medlock

My purpose found me. There is a point in each individual’s journey when they are introduced to a fire in their belly – a passion that energizes them and their soul. Often, this “call” (because that is really what it is) is overlooked or undermined. Many do not realize how important it is to act and begin exploring what that call means for the season in their life and their future. Read more>>

Banswomb NYC

Finding our purpose required exploration. We delve into various genres, experiment with different sounds and we’re sharpening our skills. Through the process we’ve found deep connection and passion for creating things that resonate with our souls and that touch others. Read more>>

Alix Dick

I found my purpose when I finally stopped fighting the many obstacles that life was putting in front of me and used them to my advantage. It took me a long time, but I eventually realized that the “no”s and rejection I encountered were marking a path of where I was headed and what I was supposed to do. Read more>>