How to Find Your Life Purpose When You Feel Lost

I remember standing in my kitchen at 3 AM, staring at nothing in particular, wondering if I was living the life I was meant to live. The question wasn't new—it had been haunting me for months. I had a job, a routine, people who loved me, but something felt hollow. I wasn't living my purpose; I was just going through the motions. If you've felt this way, you're not alone. That feeling of being lost, of searching for meaning—it's actually the beginning of something beautiful.

What Does It Mean to Find Your Life Purpose?

Your life purpose isn't some grand destiny you need to decode like a secret message. It's simpler and deeper than that. Purpose is the reason you're here. It's what makes you feel alive, what calls to you even when things are hard, what you'd do even if no one was watching.

For some people, purpose is tied to their work. For others, it's about relationships, creativity, service, or spiritual growth. There's no one-size-fits-all answer, and that's the beautiful part. Your purpose is uniquely yours.

Why We Feel Lost

Before we can find our way, it helps to understand why we lose it in the first place.

Life has a way of pulling us in a hundred directions at once. We inherit expectations from our families, absorb messages from society about what we "should" do, and get caught up in the daily grind. We chase what looks good on the surface—the promotion, the status, the approval—only to realize it doesn't fill the emptiness inside.

Sometimes we feel lost because we've been living someone else's purpose instead of our own. Other times, we've outgrown an old version of ourselves, and we haven't yet discovered who we're becoming.

The good news? That feeling of being lost is actually your spirit trying to get your attention. It's an invitation to pause, reflect, and reconnect with what truly matters.

How to Find Your Life Purpose: Practical Steps

Step 1: Get Quiet and Listen

The first thing I did when I felt lost was stop running. I created space—quiet mornings, walks without my phone, time to just be. In that silence, I could finally hear myself.

Your purpose isn't something you think your way into. It's something you feel. When you quiet the noise of the world, you can hear the whisper of your own heart.

Try this: Spend 10 minutes in silence each morning. Don't meditate with a goal. Just sit and listen. Notice what comes up. What are you thinking about? What makes you smile? What breaks your heart? These are clues.

Step 2: Reflect on What Brings You Alive

Think about the moments when you've felt most alive, most yourself. Not happy in a surface way, but genuinely alive. What were you doing? Who were you with? What were you creating or contributing?

I realized my moments of aliveness came when I was helping someone see themselves more clearly, when I was writing, when I was connecting people to something deeper than themselves. That wasn't random. That was my purpose showing me the way.

Write down three to five moments when you felt truly alive. Look for patterns. What do they have in common?

Step 3: Notice What You Can't Not Do

There are things you do because you have to. And then there are things you do because you can't help yourself.

I know people who can't stop creating art, even when it doesn't pay. People who feel called to serve others, to teach, to heal, to build, to explore. These aren't obligations. They're callings.

What can't you not do? What would you do even if no one paid you, praised you, or even noticed?

Step 4: Ask Yourself the Right Questions

Sometimes we need to ask ourselves the hard questions to find clarity.

• If I knew I couldn't fail, what would I do?

• What problem in the world breaks my heart?

• What gifts do I have that the world needs?

• What would I regret not doing before I die?

• When do I feel most connected to something bigger than myself?

Don't rush these questions. Sit with them. Journal about them. Let them work on you over time.

Step 5: Connect to Something Bigger Than Yourself

I found that my purpose became clearer when I connected it to something larger than my own happiness or success. It wasn't about me anymore. It was about how I could serve, contribute, and make a difference.

Whether that's through your work, your relationships, your creativity, or your spiritual practice, purpose deepens when it's rooted in something transcendent.

Ask yourself: How can my gifts serve others? How can I contribute to something I believe in?

The Role of Faith and Spirituality

For me, finding my purpose was inseparable from my faith. When I stopped trying to figure everything out on my own and started asking God to show me the way, things shifted. I felt guided. I felt less alone.

Your spiritual practice—whether that's prayer, meditation, time in nature, or something else—can be a powerful tool for discovering your purpose. When you connect with something greater than yourself, you tap into wisdom that goes beyond your own thinking.

What If You Still Feel Lost?

Finding your purpose isn't always a lightning-bolt moment. Sometimes it unfolds slowly. You take one step, then another. You try something, learn from it, adjust, and keep going.

That's okay. That's actually how most of us find our way.

Be patient with yourself. Trust that you're exactly where you need to be right now. The fact that you're asking these questions means you're already on the path.

A Gentle Invitation

If you're feeling lost right now, I want you to know that this feeling is temporary. It's not a sign that something is wrong with you. It's a sign that you're ready for something more.

Take time to get quiet. Listen to your heart. Notice what brings you alive. Connect with something bigger than yourself. And trust that your purpose will reveal itself.

What's one thing you know brings you alive, even if you haven't acted on it yet?

If you're ready to deepen your spiritual practice and explore your purpose more fully, my books are designed to help you slow down, reflect, and reconnect with what truly matters. They offer guided practices in gratitude, mindfulness, and self-discovery—tools to help you live with more intention and peace. Whether you're just beginning your journey or deepening an existing practice, these resources can support you in finding clarity and purpose.