Has the hype of 2018 died down for you? Yeah, been there! Read on for tips on how to keep the momentum going from our guest writer of the day: Hanha of Transparency Blog.

We’re in the heat of the new year, and everyone has their new year's resolutions all lined up. For me, one of my 2018 goals is to start medical school in the fall, and I can’t help but be reminded of the months when I was interviewing.

One interview stands out in particular. It was a full-day of events and I don’t know what it was about the school, but man, I left feeling so freaking inspired.

It was the atmosphere, the structure of the day, the social the night before, but most importantly, it was the people! I was surrounded by students, doctors, and educators who made me feel like I could take on the world. I was amongst people who could accomplish anything (Shoutout to the interviewee who graduated from Harvard and is now practicing research in Uganda prior to applying to med school like YGG forreal).

Seriously. I was empowered that I could make a difference! By the end of the interview, I wanted to drop my boyfriend, find a new job, and change the face of medicine. (I know, I’m so dramatic.) But I was purpose-filled about my life, and intentional about it.

But then I got back to my “regular life,” and over time I got stuck into the routine of it all. If I’m being completely honest, I lost that feeling of inspiration and empowerment. And if we’re being twice as honest, that’s how this new year will go for many of you if you don’t snap out of it.

Right now, you feel so energized and renewed. You feel like you can accomplish everything! You’ve set your goals, you’ve put systems in place, and you’ve already started making moves towards accomplishing what you want. If you’re anything like me, your head is in the clouds. You’re believing that God will do amazing things in your life - to the point that it blows your mind.

Trust me, I get it.

This was me in the beginning of 2017. Shoot, this is me now. My goal and vision for 2017 was actually to have faith to the point that people thought I was crazy! But I never thought I’d fall into the same boat. I never thought I would be the one who thought I was crazy too.

And maybe you’ve felt like this before. You feel encouraged one minute, but then time passes, and you seem to forget everything you planned to do. Or better yet, you start to overthink, and then you doubt whether or not they’ll ever happen.

But let’s get one thing straight. We’re breaking that cycle this year, and I’m going to give you practical tips to help you live in purpose, on purpose.

1. REMOVE THE LIMITS AND DREAM.

You know the famous quote, “If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough.”

Don’t limit yourself. Remove the labels that others place on you, and remove the labels that you place on yourself. It’s great to have a vision for your life! I encourage this, but don’t think that things have to go a certain way in order for your life to work out. If you do, that’s like trapping yourself into one plan and limiting your own self on what you can possibly do.

*Protip for all my perfectionists and planners out there.* Don’t plan every single detail of your life. Be open to what God has in store for you. If you’ve lived long enough to enjoy life’s many experiences, then you’d know that your plans never go as planned anyways.

Because one of the best things that God is known for? Allowing His will to ultimately take place. Because what He has for us is always better than what we could imagine for ourselves. He doesn’t like to be placed in boxes or the confined spaces of “this is exactly how it’s going to happen.”

God loves to work outside of our limits. He owns the names of Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient - all powerful, always present, and all-knowing. Take yourself out of the picture and see yourself the way that He sees you, the way He sees your life.

Knowing this should make you feel like you CAN dream because anything can happen. Why? Because we serve a God of the impossible. And when you are dreaming, challenge yourself to think bigger because God can do exceedingly above all that you can ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). His ways are not our ways. His thoughts not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).

As long as you seek Him with all your heart and are obedient to Him, God loves to help you accomplish your goals (Matthew 6:33). After that, your responsibility is to dream and create, and God will help you finish the rest. He will place you in the palm of His hand and guide you in the direction that you’re supposed to go.

2. SCHEDULE REMINDERS

Sometimes, we lose sight of our purpose because we’re not intentional about thinking about it. If this is something you struggle with, I challenge you to make time in your schedule at least once a month to do just that.

I love this quote by Carl Jung: “Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awake.”

I think this quote is so relevant. I know we just talked about dreaming but I think both are important. Dream, yes. But also be self-reflective. Maybe take a walk once a week or once a month. Go to a coffee shop, go to the mall, sit in your room and pray. Whatever works best for you, make time in your day or in your month to remind yourself of your purpose.

It’s easy to get complacent, but when we focus on our purpose and keep it at the forefront of our mind, it’s like we’re hitting the refresh button. It keeps us awake and alert. It keeps us purpose-driven.

Self-reflect and check in with yourself, CONSTANTLY. Ask yourself how things have been going. Maybe listen to an inspiring sermon about purpose to get you revved back up. Or seek out a mentor that you can talk with every quarter who will be able to encourage you or hold you accountable to the goals you want to accomplish.

In addition to setting reminders, set hard deadlines for yourself. This will help you stay on track rather than make everything seem like they’re so far away.

3. SEEK SPACES THAT INSPIRE YOU

Do things that you enjoy or that scare you. Find opportunities that make you step outside of your comfort zone. Learn something new - a new photoshop course, salsa dancing class, anything!

Instead of sitting at home on a Friday night watching tv, go out and explore your city. If you’re from a small town, go to a museum or read a book at the nearest book store. Save up money to travel every 3 months. Do whatever it takes to make your life more inspiring. Need some tips? Try these 3 ways to live a more adventurous life!

Constantly staying inspired will help you stay focused. An article from the Harvard Business Review actually found that there are three core aspects of inspiration: evocation, transcendence, and approach motivation. It’s basically a bunch of big words to say that inspiration:

1. Happens spontaneously without intention (so you gotta add some spontaneity to your life *shrugs*)
2. Exists or can be experienced past the normal or physical level - it involves a moment of clarity or awareness of new possibilities (aka gives purpose)
3. Motivates you to turn that inspiration into a reality (no brainer)

To sum it all up, it means that you’ll have better moments of clarity and be more motivated to pursue your purpose if you are intentional about seeking spaces that you inspire you. If you are more open to new opportunities and experiences, you’re more likely to experience just that.

It’s probably why people don’t find much sitting on their couch watching tv. Clearly, I rest my case.
Get up off that couch, honey! Be intentional about living in purpose! Dream big dreams, schedule reminders for yourself, and find new experiences that will leave you feeling inspired. Gone are the days where we feel mediocre. We’re no longer settling for an ordinary life filled with the same routines.

Together, we’re stepping out and living in purpose, on purpose! Ya feel me?

Loved reading this post? Let me know what you think by stopping by my page on Instagram, and tell me some ways you plan to be more intentional about living in purpose! I would love to get to know you and hear how you plan to achieve your goals!

RELATED:  Get Your Life, Even When Your Unmotivated, How to Live Life in the Moment, Purpose: This is What You're Here For

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Hanha is the writer behind Transparency Blog, and she is super passionate about encouraging others and sharing the love of Christ. She graduated from the University of National Champions—Go Heels!—and she is currently pursuing plans to become a physician in the near future. A few fun facts? She’s addicted to Grey’s Anatomy, has a special place in her heart for tacos, and podcasts are her present obsession. In her spare time, she daydreams about places she can travel and loves connecting with friends on Instagram. Come say hi!

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