As of December 1, 2010, the world population figure is estimated to be 6,884,909,953 of which no two people are alike.  Sure, we may share commonalities such as gender, eye color, hair color, skin tone, blood type, height, weight, ethnicity, political views or religious affiliations but there does not exist an exact replica of you anywhere on this planet.  You and you alone are made up of a unique blend of life experiences, thoughts, actions, reactions, choices, feelings, desires, moods, family structures, belief systems and more.

Amidst all of the things that make you distinctively who you are in the physical form, there is also encoded someplace within your soul and your DNA particular gifts and talents that further make you so special.  This can be anything from being fantastic at writing computer code to being kind to everyone you meet. It can be being of service to other people, animals or the environment or it can be running a successful company that employs people so they have income to feed their family.  Your particular gifts are your soul’s unique expressions of who you truly are.

Each and every one of us has been born with special and unique qualities to share with the world.  Whether this is the world within your own family, neighborhood or community, or whether this is the world at large matters not.  What matters is that when you feel the call to live life in a bigger way than you have been living, feel the longing to express something about yourself that perhaps you have not shared, or want to make a difference because you see a need, this is part of your Life Purpose.

What is the key to finding your life purpose?  It’s passion.  Look for what ignites you, find the things that excite you and drive you to take positive action, watch the language you use while talking about that which you are passionate about.  Your passions are your gifts and your talents.  Sometimes, however, over the course of our lives we forget what our gifts are or what we are passionate about. Maybe they have never been given their own voice or expression or perhaps they are buried so deep inside that you have forgotten that they exist, but they do.

If you have ever found yourself asking the questions, “Why am I here?”, “What am I supposed to do with my life?” or “There must be more to life than this”, then you have most likely had an encounter with your Life Purpose, a calling to take action.

Many people believe that we are born with a destiny in place and that a higher power will show us our Fate.  Others believe that we create our own destiny by the choices we make and the lives that we lead.  Regardless of your belief about destiny or purpose, I think it’s important to embrace the idea there is “something” that beckons to us to “be” or “do” something because what you do in this life matters.  Over the course of your life you will have multiple “purposes.”  A Life Purpose will look much different at 20 than it will at 50, for example.  During the course of your own life journey, your purpose will also evolve.  During child-rearing years, one’s purpose may be to be the best parent possible, whereas after the children have left the house a new purpose will likely begin to show itself. One may feel a shift when their career is no longer as fulfilling as it was and they feel a call to do something with more meaning.  You will know when you are having an encounter with your Life Purpose by the feeling within you that summons your attention, evoking a feeling of longing for something more, in fact a knowing that you must do something more.

Remember that your Life Purpose and your gifts, talents and passions are directly related.  If you find yourself feeling pulled by something greater than you, perhaps it’s time to begin looking within to find out what it is that shows how unique you are and how to begin sharing your special gifts with others. By following the call of your Life Purpose, you will feel more fulfilled and life will have even greater meaning.