Finding your Next Purpose

If you have been in the workforce for 30 plus years, how do you find the next “thing” or purpose that energizes you and keeps you excited about this part of your life. Let’s dig into how you might work on finding that purpose.

In 2021, my friend, Janet Gregory co-wrote a book called “Age of Freedom, Women at the Crossroads of Career and Change” (affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4gSKDFb) This book covers a lot of topics and is especially relevant to women since the Covid Pandemic. This book came out at a great time. I was working many hours and exhausted. We had just bought a condo in Florida, but I could not work remotely. My job as a CFO of a school district was considered essential. My husband’s company was doing well, but I had no time to help manage his finances. Details were falling through the cracks. A year later, August 2022 was when I quit my job. I knew I needed to slow down and make my life better.

The first 90 days after I quit were brutal. After working 60 hours weeks, it was an abrupt stop. What do I do with this gift of time? I picked up Janet’s book and began to re-read it. Additionally, I began to listen to Mel Robbins Podcasts – so many great ones! What makes you happy? There are probably more than four areas, but I like these four:

I was already incorporating Health & Fitness into my daily life as well as Family Friends. Five years ago, we started to prioritize travel which has been amazing, and I highly recommend taking at least one trip a year. But I needed some other greater purpose, outside of myself. That is when another good friend suggested I help with Southwest Florida’s Breakthrough T1D annual Gala.

My daughter has had Type 1 diabetes since she was 19. It is a terrible autoimmune disease that affects nearly 120 million people worldwide. Breakthrough T1D is the leading non-profit research organization working to find a cure for this disease. I am now on the Southwest Florida Board and very involved in this organization. Just this past Sunday we participated in a fundraising walk that gave me goosebumps. So many people working to make a difference, coming together to raise money to irradicate this disease.

Over the past two years, I have jumped in headfirst in helping raise money for Breakthrough T1D. In helping this organization, it utilizes so many of the skills I developed in the corporate world. And I am very passionate about this cause because I watch my daughter deal with this disease on a daily basis. But how do you find your passion or purpose? I have included a checklist that may help you figure out where to start.

Checklist to find you next Purpose:

• Identify your Passion or Interest – Are you interested in education, health, the environment, animals
• Determine your skills and strengths – Are you good at designing, teaching, event planning
• How much time can you devote to this cause. Make sure you don’t over commit in the beginning. It’s easy to try to do too much and then you will get discouraged.
• Research local non-profit organizations near you. Use websites like VolunteerMatch or Idealist.
• Understand the organization’s needs. What type of volunteers are they looking for. You don’t want to volunteer to help at an animal shelter if you don’t like dogs or cats.
• Location – make sure it’s easy to get to
• Look at the organizations impact and transparency. Are a majority of the funds going to the cause? Are the financials online?
• Set up a meeting with the organization to discuss their needs and your skills. How can they match up? Or meet with a current volunteer and ask questions. Just ask if they would be willing to meet you for a cup of coffee.
• Volunteer for a trial period. Make a goal of one year to make sure it’s a good fit.

Remember, you are doing this to use your skills, find your next purpose and be energized. If you like this blog post, subscribe (on the sidebar) or comment. I welcome the feedback!