Finding Purpose

Finding Dory comes out this summer and I'd like to take a moment to remember one of Dory's most iconic lines from Finding Nemo: "When life gets you down do you know what you got to do? Just keep swimming!" That's right Dory, just keep swimming... but wait! How will we know if we are just swimming in circles? Or worse, if we accidentally swim into shark territory. I think we have all been fed this myth that we must always keep moving -- from school to work to extracurricular -- to dull the pain to numb the hurt to quelch the regret. Because if we stop, even for an instant, life will curl at our feet, roll us up like a rug. Will scrolling through miles of social media feed really make you a happier person? It's true that we must embrace change or risk being bogged down in our situations. Action is good but action without purpose is a waste of time and energy. To define purpose, you must be clear-headed. And, to find that clarity, you must commit to remaining still, to being content in your person, and to facing your demons rather than running away from them. So, yeah, keep swimming. But, make sure you are heading in the right direction first.