living with purpose.

fsy at weber state

one of my favorite things about working as an fsy counselor this summer was learning from other counselors and staff. i was surrounded by hundreds of amazing people my age who had chosen this job over other opportunities to serve the youth. each week i had a girl and guy who were my mentors, and every week they inspired me. during my week at weber state, dustin was my mentor counselor. he taught some of the other counselors and i about living with purpose. it was so good that i want to share with all of you. write down your answers. ponder it. trust me, it will change how you see the world!

he began by asking us a question: who is someone in your life that lives with purpose? how do you know? what are specific things they do? what are attributes they have that set them apart from other people?

the person i thought of doesn't hesitate but is generous and fearlessly loves those around her. she is also full of gratitude for her life and all the things she has.

then he asked another question: who is someone you know that lives without purpose? and similarly, how can you tell? what are specific things they do?

when you are living with purpose, how do your mindset and habits change? when you are living without purpose, what does that look and feel like?

when i am living without purpose, i find myself unsatisfied because i want to entertained constantly. i am undisciplined and keep complaining. i feel hollow and totally focused on myself.

then he asked us what is your purpose here at fsy? and i would add, what is your purpose in whatever you are currently doing? do people around you look at you and see a person full of purpose?

it's a daily choice to live with purpose. but when we choose to live with purpose, our lives change, and we change lives. we go to bed exhausted but content. we have motivation when it’s hard. we are not just living for ourselves, but for something bigger.

as Jesus taught, “whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. for whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. what good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?" (matthew 16:24-26, niv)

one way i like to ask myself if i'm living with purpose is something i call "surviving or thriving." are you surviving or thriving? sometimes we need to just survive. life can be rough and busy, leaving us with little energy to thrive. but usually we can decide to live with purpose, or prioritize habits that will help us thrive.

i made a list with two columns, as you can see below:

surviving	thriving
snoozing my alarm	getting right out of bed
checking my phone after i wake up	waiting until i’ve done my morning routine to check
eating while multitasking	eating outside & not doing anything else
reading a few verses of scripture	setting a timer, reading, and taking notes (a study!)
eating whatever i want	eating what makes my tummy feel good
doing a five min workout or stretch	doing a full 20-30 minute workout
spending my spare time on my phone/tech/socials	praying, observing, reading, yapping, or being alive
being socially scared	being brave & talking to strangers
overriding my downtime and texting into the night	turning off my phone and journaling before bed
praying in bed	praying on my knees

i would challenge you to make your list. what habits do you default to when you are surviving? what habits help you thrive as you strive to live with purpose? i promise you it will change everything!!

cheering for you!

xoxo, kate