Finding My Why: A Personal Quest for Deeper Meaning

When Success Leaves You Empty

As I am writing this just a week ago today, I graduated from the Lumia Life Coach Training Program, earning certification as a twice-over Certified Life Coach. It was a significant accomplishment, and I’m now working toward my ACC level credentialing through the International Coaching Federation (ICF)- the next step in my professional development as a credentialed life coach.

By every external measure, I was moving forward. Achieving goals. Building momentum. Becoming what I had worked hard to become.

And yet, almost immediately after graduation, something unexpected happened.

My mind slipped into what I can only describe as vacation mode. The intense focus and drive that had carried me through months of training had seemed to dissolve overnight, leaning me suspended in a strange pendulum swing- somewhere between accomplishment and what’s next.

It was there, in that quiet pause, that a moment of clarity surfaced.

I remember thinking, “That’s all well and good- but when I pick back up, there needs to be purpose behind the pick-up.”

Divine Timing and Perfect Placement

As I spoke those words, I turned to look at my bookshelf, and there it was-

The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.

It had been sitter there for some time, but in that moment it felt less like a book and more like a divine appointment waiting patiently for my attention.

When I opened the introduction and began to read, I sensed the Lord speaking directly to my spirit about His purposes for my life. This wasn’t simply intellectual understanding, it was deeper. Something in me came alive.

The words on the page didn’t just inform me; they settled into my spirit. And the more I read, the more I felt aligned with something greater than my own ambitions or professional achievements.

That was when a question came up- an urgency:

“Why am I here?”

It wasn’t a crisis, just a deep, persistent longing for understanding- a quiet whisper that something inside me wanted more than “just enough.”

I was doing all the right things (so I thought).

I showed up for my career.

I showed up for relationships.

I showed up in my faith.

Yet beneath it all, there was a subtle, tug toward something deeper… something that was anchored in purpose rather than performance.

I wasn’t aiming for fame or applause. I wasn’t chasing a mission driven by lust (*las- “to be eager, wanton, or unruly). I just had this growing sense that my life was designed for more than tasks and checkboxes.

The question, “Why am I here?” Became ignition (ignire “set on fire” from ignis “fire” “means sparking a fire”)

It didn’t hand me a roadmap.

It offered an invitation.

It was the moment my heart started to turn not just toward answers, but toward God’s presence.

A Book That Gave Language to the Search

In my search for purpose, one book on my bookshelf kept coming across my sight again and again- The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. I wasn’t looking for a “self-help hack.” I was looking for truth that could last a lifetime.

If you want a book that helped me find structure and language for these questions you can get it here (physical copy, Kindle, or audiobook):

Get The Purpose Driven Life on Amazon (affiliate link)

The Power of Purpose-Driven Alignment

There’s something life-changing about aligning your life with God’s purposes.

When we operate from this place of alignment, our work becomes worship. Our goals become offerings, and our daily activities take on eternal significance.

It’s the difference between building a career and fulfilling a calling.

Between achieving success and walking in purpose.

As I continue reading, I’m uncovering layers of insight about intentional living, about making decisions through the lens of divine purpose rather than cultural pressure, and about finding meaning that transcends temporary accomplishments or material goals.

Sharing the Journey

I’ve decided to document this journey and share it as a I move through each chapter of The Purpose Driven Life.

My hope is that these reflections resonate with your own search for meaning, and that, in some small way, they encourage you in your own unfolding journey of purpose.

An Invitation to Journey Together

I’m inviting you to walk alongside me.

Whether you feel uncertain about your purpose, stuck between seasons, or simply curious about what it looks like to align your life with something greater than yourself- there is room for you here.

Along the way, I’ll share tools, resources, and insights that are supporting me in this season of growth and alignment. My prayer is that something in my journey might speak to yours- and that together we can encourage one another toward lives of deeper meaning and divine purpose.

After all, we weren’t created to wander aimlessly or settle for lives of quiet desperation.

We were created with intention.

Designed for meaning.

And called to make an impact that extends beyond our temporary existence.

Are you ready to discover what that could look like for your life?

Note: I completed my life coach training through Lumia If you’re exploring coach certification, you can learn more about their program here. If you decide to enroll, the code LUMIAFRIENDS provides $100 off tuition)

This reflection is part of my Purpose Driven Life journey. You can explore the full series here