Lifestyle | March 8th, 2018

Finding your Purpose

By: La’Kayra Larramore

I doubt I am the only student who feels this but have you ever asked yourself why you are here. I am pretty sure you have wondered what your purpose is on this earth.

Sadly, anytime someone brings up the topic of purpose, we shrug away in the corner in fear that they are going to try and recruit us to the nearest church. Everyone isn’t religious however, no one wants to live a life without meaning. In simpler terms, we are all looking for our “place” in the universe.

First things first: Stop being at war with yourself.

Sadly, many of us get slapped in the face with our purpose every day. I say this because there are some things we are naturally good at. It is the one thing we tend to do without even thinking about it.

We call them our gifts. However, we fight our natural-born gifts and replace them with things that may make us feel good or get rich schemes. The universe has aligned us with skills that we do not have to be forced into doing.

While in kindergartner, I was obsessed with writing short mystery stories and reading them to my family. At the age of twelve, I decided to write my first fiction chapter book. I was a natural writer and reader. However, I went to school for ICT because coding was easy for me to learn. The crazy thing was, I had to force myself to learn to code.  Long story short, I am a Journalist major now, and let’s just say my assignments are a piece of cake. But even when they are difficult I still enjoy doing them.

You want to be an athlete because you are good at it but the universe is calling you to be a writer because that is your purpose. Angela Larramore Chief Operations Director of ADVN Dental Partners said it best, “your purpose is already in you. It is just waiting for you to catch up with it.” Stop fighting your purpose. Stop fighting the one thing you are naturally good at, and if you are solely doing something because of money, let me remind you that you can make money doing anything. Do whatever you like doing and grow into that. Or in college terms master your natural-born skills.

One thing is for sure: You must find yourself and let no one change it.

There is so much going on in your life, I am pretty sure. There are so many influences as well. People have their own opinions about everything. But before you start to adopt someone else’s way of living, you have to find your own.

Opinions are like asses, everyone has one. So why not follow your own ass. In order to fully capture your purpose, you have to know what you personally like. How will you ever find out what you truly enjoy, if you are constantly adapting someone else’s viewpoint? While talking to Florida Agricultural and Mechanical Journalism Alumni Yolita Howard, I learned that on her journey to finding her purpose she explained to me that many people tried to discourage her by telling her that, her way was wrong or would be too difficult.

Many of these people, even if they are successful, have their own way of doing things. That doesn’t mean that their way will fit you. Take the time to find the things you enjoy doing, and your purpose will follow. Push those negative birds in the dust.

I think it’s time for you to just go out and try different things. Get involved with your surroundings. Join the local bowling team, church choir or your school’s newspaper. Just start something!

So, if you are living an unfulfilled life. Do not let your mind become idle instead take the time to find that one thing that gives you a natural high. Maurice Johnson, a professor at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical Universality, couldn’t say it any better. “Everything that happens mentally and spiritually manifest physically.” I couldn’t agree more.