“The Purpose of Purpose”
How Defining Your “Why” Builds Confidence — One Season at a Time
I’ve learned that life as a mom is made up of chapters, some loud and chaotic, some quiet and uncertain. There were years when my purpose felt crystal clear: make sure the kids were loved, safe, and maybe had a vegetable or two before bed. My days were full, my heart even fuller, and purpose came easily.
But then came a new season, one where my kids didn’t need me in the same way. Suddenly, I wasn’t packing lunches or waiting in the car line. And while I was proud to watch them grow, I also felt a little untethered. Who was I now? What was my purpose beyond everyone else’s needs?
It’s taken me time (and a lot of grace) to realize that purpose isn’t something you find once and hold onto forever. It changes, just like we do.
The Myth of a “Forever” Purpose
We’re told to “find our purpose,” as if it’s a buried treasure —a grand, lifelong calling that defines us. But I think that’s where many of us get lost. Because life changes. Kids grow up, careers shift, priorities realign, and suddenly, that old purpose doesn’t quite fit anymore.
And that’s okay.
Your purpose isn’t supposed to stay the same forever. It’s supposed to evolve, to stretch and shift as you do. The purpose I had as a mom of toddlers doesn’t fit the woman I am now, and that’s not a sign of failure. That’s a sign of growth.
Finding Purpose in the Present
What I’ve found helpful is defining a purpose that fits the season I’m in, not necessarily for life, but for right now.
Sometimes my purpose for the year is simple: to be more present. Other times, it’s to create more than I consume. And lately, it’s been to show up for myself with the same energy I’ve always shown up for others.
When I give my days a purpose, even one as small as that, it brings clarity. It helps me say no to what drains me and yes to what aligns with who I’m becoming. It’s a compass, not a map. I don’t need to know the whole journey; I need to trust where it’s leading me next.
Confidence Through Clarity
Here’s the beautiful thing about purpose: it naturally builds confidence.
Confidence doesn’t come from having it all together; it comes from knowing what matters most and taking action to achieve it. When you’re clear about your “why,” decisions get easier. You stop second-guessing every choice or comparing your path to someone else’s.
Redefining Purpose, Year After Year
Each year, I take a quiet moment to ask myself three simple questions:
What matters most to me right now?
How do I want to feel this year?
What small actions align with that?
Then I write one sentence that becomes my north star:
“This year, my purpose is to ___.”
And I give myself grace to change it whenever life changes — because it always does.
A Mother’s Wisdom
If you’re in a season where your purpose feels uncertain, please remember this: it’s not gone, it’s just waiting to be rewritten.
Maybe your purpose right now is to nurture, rebuild, explore, or rest. Whatever it is, it’s enough. Own that!
Because the real purpose of purpose is to remind us that we’re still growing, still evolving, still becoming, and that every version of us along the way has meaning, and here’s the most beautiful part: our families, partners, children, and friends are meant to be on this personal journey with us. It’s just as exciting and inspiring for them to watch our stories unfold as it is for us to live them.
