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.

Freida Fox

Throughout my life, I have been forced to overcome countless roadblocks in my path to autonomy, or even just self-certainty. Whether it be the myriad of chronic health issues that have plagued me my entire life, or the emotional whiplash I seemed to experience on a near-daily basis, I found myself feeling consistently lost in the world around me. Read More>>

John Franklin RInehart

My purpose is to help others flourish. Aristotle used an old Greek term—eudaimonia—which means human flourishing. To me, this concept perfectly captures my life’s mission.

True purpose isn’t measured solely by personal achievements or wealth. Instead, it’s rooted deeply in helping communities, families, and individuals thrive. It’s about being present, fostering genuine connections, and finding contentment in life’s meaningful moments—whether you’re creating films, running a small business, or baking bread. Read More>>

Rebecca Gordon

I was born in New York City and had a fascination with the sky from an early age—checking out children’s astronomy books from the library and imagining all stars were suns with planets around them. My father was an anthropologist, so we lived in various countries including West Africa, South America, and Europe. No matter where we were, I always looked to the sky and was constantly asking questions about planets, time and space. Read More>>

Leah Weinberg

My journey to finding my purpose as an attorney is a bit unconventional, but it’s a story I’m proud of. I was a wedding planner for nearly a decade. But before that, I went to law school, practiced commercial real estate law, and felt completely unfulfilled. Eventually, I found my passion in planning weddings, where I could combine logistics, creativity, and human connection. Read More>>

Megan Haag

I found my purpose through adversity and resilience. After getting out of thr military I was pretty lost. It took years of fighting to understand my body was stuck in fight or flight just trying to stay alive. I didn’t let my pain or trauma keep me stuck. I used the healthy tools I gained to cope and overcome the pain. I found solace in nature and purpose in farming alongside mother nature working with her rather than against her. Read More>>

David Docusen

I discovered my purpose while pastoring a church in Charlotte, North Carolina, that sat quite literally on the dividing line between the rich and the poor. On one side of our street, there were luxury high-rise apartments with rooftop pools and valet parking. On the other side, families were struggling in generational poverty, facing systemic barriers in education, housing, healthcare, and employment. Read More>>

Erin Parsley

From the very beginning, I knew I was a dancer. It wasn’t a decision — it was a deep, soul-level knowing. Dance became my first language, a way to express everything I felt but couldn’t always say — joy, sorrow, love, longing.

As life unfolded, so did my purpose. Grief, trauma, and healing pulled me into deeper work. While dance remained my foundation, I felt called to help others reconnect with their own truth — in their bodies, their choices, and their sense of self. Read More>>

Fatima Alhexia Boylen

I believe my purpose in life is to be happy and love God! Because God has done great things for me.

I am originally from Amatitlán, Guatemala, a small town on the outskirts of the City with a beautiful lake, delicious organic food, colorful handcraft stands, and smiley, kind people. That vibrant and warm culture is the root of who I am. Read More>>

Leah Weinberg

Milada Melli-Jones

I thought my purpose was to be seen on the big screen. I never imagined it would be helping others feel seen in the places they’ve hidden the most.

Acting is what brought me from the Czech Republic to New York City, fueled by passion and the dream of one day holding an Oscar. I trained, performed, and poured everything I had into becoming a recognized actor. For years, I believed that was the path that would fulfill me. Read More>>

Randi Fiat

I’ve always followed the pull of my dreams, even when they defied conventional logic. Some have called me a workaholic, but I’ve always believed that when you love what you do, it never feels like work.

From a young age, I knew a few things to be true about myself: I was endlessly curious, fiercely independent, and deeply drawn to people and their stories from around the world. I believe the role of an artist—and in many ways, of an entrepreneur—is to help make sense of life and its complexities. Read More>>

Zel Rivera

I found it in the middle of chaos.

What was meant to be a short visit abroad during the pandemic turned into something life-altering. I traveled from the Philippines, hoping to feel normal again after years of uncertainty. Instead, I found myself staying—not for myself, but to help someone else rebuild. I thought I was doing the right thing. But the person I tried to help ended up weaponizing love to control, manipulate, and abuse me. It nearly cost me my life. Read More>>

StarAV

At this point, I’m uncertain about what “purpose” even means. Is it the widely accepted notion of a singular guiding star directing one’s entire life? Or can one have multiple purposes, changing through different phase of their life? The idea of a preordained purpose waiting to be discovered feels somewhat romanticized to me, making me skeptical of the concept. I feel that the notion of a grand purpose might stem from an inability to justify the inherent value of one’s existence without it. Read More>>

Funmilayo Chesney

My purpose found me through rhythm, culture, and the desire to uplift. I was born into movement—it’s how I made sense of the world before I had words. Over time, I came to understand that African and Diasporic dance wasn’t just performance—it was medicine, memory, and message.
As I taught children across New York City and around the world, I saw how dance and music became powerful tools for healing, identity, and self-expression—especially for children of color who don’t always see themselves reflected in traditional curricula. Read More>>

Traci Kimball

My purpose found me when I least expected it to. I had hit burnout as a surgical fellow in vascular surgery managing a busy caseload at work while maintaining the homestead as a mother and wife when all of a sudden the insight came to me – Traci, you should pivot into something that gives you balance and still challenges your mind and hands. No sooner after I finish this self speak did an email from a wound management company opening a market in Denver CO inboxed me. Read More>>

Hala Maroc

Honestly, I didn’t *find* my purpose; it revealed itself the more I stayed true to who I am. That’s why my motto is “ finding success through finding yourself “ .

Growing up Afro Arab, there weren’t many examples of women like me owning their voice publicly, let alone thriving in creative or leadership spaces. For a long time, I just knew I wanted to create space, space to be myself, and space for others to feel seen, heard, and safe doing the same. Read More>>

Cheyna Ashe

In 2023 I was wrestling with the idea of quitting my job. I was working at a mental health clinic which I felt called to go to in 2020, but I knew that I was simply doing something that I “could” do and something that I “should” be doing. All my life I’ve always implemented music in the core areas of my life. In middle school and high school I was first chair violinist, and later moved on to joining the philharmonic orchestra. Outside of that I was always singing in church and with my family different conferences, and even in that I was the musical organizer. I built the harmonies and structure in which the song would be sung. Read More>>

Dillon Shipper

I found my purpose by following curiosity and leaning into the things that made me feel energized – creating, connecting, and building community. It really started when I launched Dude Fridges as a fun side project in 2022. I was fascinated by how something as simple as a fridge could say so much about someone. I started collecting photos, making memes, adding commentary, and quickly realized people weren’t just entertained – they felt seen. Read More>>

Mikey Brown

I was born in a town of 38 people in Deputy, Indiana. It was a necessity to creatively come up with whatever I wanted from the scraps leftover out here that were given to me growing up. That sculpted me into being someone to fix broken things or create from nothing but trash if need be to take part in whatever I wanted go for next. Whether it was a local car show or a HotWheels Legends Tour I’ve trusted that my “training” in the ScrapPile will get me through. Read More>>

Patrick Rawn

I think stumbled upon purpose. Growing up in and around the farm I really wanted to nothing do with agriculture or living in Eastern WA state. Coming out of high school I could not get far enough away fast enough with no grand ambitions of coming ‘home.’ I left for university and worked away from the farm for a bit. In hindsight the further away I got the more I realized there was a lot dirt in my blood. I came back for a few months to wait to grad school to start and really realized how much this place meant to me. Read More>>

Pamela Cooper-White

There’s no simple answer to this question! It’s layered. Looking back, as I’m soon to turn 70, I can say that I’ve always had a sense of purpose or “calling” to be of service in one way or another, to the greater good. At the most basic level, this came from my parents and grandparents, who all believed in community involvement (mostly through organizations like the Masons and the American Legion, as well as church attendance). Read More>>

Renee Garcia

I don’t remember exactly when, but it was sometime in college (perhaps my senior year) when I felt a sense of clarity in regards to what was next for me. I started to recognize a common thread between my passion for art and animals as I continued to explore concepts that focused around my love of nature. Alongside was always the desire to work to protect it in any way that I could. Read More>>

Nancy Mueller

I found my purpose when I was 14 years old. I was attending a high school assembly and the woman talking to our class was sharing a message about staying away from drugs. Her message was unlike anything I’d ever heard before because she shared all the dirty, shameful secrets that went along with her drug habit, including jail time. Read More>>

Jessica Wiler

I’ve always been someone who’s willing to take chances, especially if it means discovering something meaningful. I believe finding your purpose isn’t always about having a clear plan, it’s about taking action, trying new things, and being open to the unexpected. Sometimes your purpose evolves over time, and it’s actually fun to follow the breadcrumb trail life leaves for you. Read More>>

Karissa Castillo

My purpose started to unfold back in high school when I first picked up a camera. I began photographing friends for school dances and doing a few family sessions. At first, it was just something fun I enjoyed, but over time, I realized how much I loved documenting milestones and special seasons in people’s lives. Read More>>

Anya Kalia

I found my passion for acting when I was very young, which instantly felt like my purpose in life. I have always liked dressing up and pretending to be different characters. I would also always write scripts and perform for my family and friends. As I grew older, acting continued to be my passion. Whenever I am on set or practicing a scene for fun, I feel happy! Read More>>

Lex Holley

I didn’t always know baking would be my purpose.

It actually started when I was 16. I didn’t have a job, but I still wanted to do something special for my mom on Mother’s Day. So I baked her a cupcake bouquet. It wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty—and she loved it. That moment stuck with me. It felt good to make something with my hands that made someone else feel loved. Read More>>

Jamie Lynn Cross

I’ve always been curious about the world around me, and that’s fueled my creativity. I love trying all sorts of mediums, but film photography really clicked for me in high school. When I picked it up again, I knew I couldn’t put it back down. I love the tactile feeling of film cameras, and the history behind them. Read More>>

Dr. Nicole Kumi

I didn’t find my purpose in a moment of clarity. I uncovered it slowly, in the quiet aftermath of one of the most disorienting times of my life: the postpartum period.

When I became a mother, I was stunned by how much I disappeared in the process. Everyone asked about the baby, but no one asked about me, not my mental health, not my identity, not how I was adjusting. I struggled silently with postpartum depression and anxiety, and like so many women, I thought it was just me. I had to push through, smile more, and be grateful. Read More>>

Santiago De Freitas

My purpose comes from the moment people began to value what I did and that it was a source of information about the Denver Nuggets in Spanish, something that is not common to find. Read More>>

Jane Lee

Finding my purpose has been a journey. I went to university and earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Human Nutrition. I worked as a registered dietitian for a decade before I became depressed and burnt out. I traveled to Denver solo trip in 2019 and serendipitously met my then-hiking guide, now partner, and soon fell in love with not only him but also with the great outdoors. When I moved to Denver, I quit my job as a dietitian and I didn’t know what I wanted to do for work. Read More>>