The salt content of the ocean is always around 3.5% and scientists don't exactly know how. It should be getting saltier over time as minerals are dumped in from rivers around the world and the pure water evaporates. But it doesn't. The earth knows that the optimal salt content for life its 3.5% and so it found a way to keep it there.
The air we breathe is about 20-25% oxygen. If the oxygen content gets too much above that we see an increase in major forest fires. The fires consume a lot of the extra oxygen while also destroying trees, which produce oxygen. This gets the oxygen level back into the perfect range.
If the carbon dioxide level in the air gets too high, the atmosphere gets warmer which causes more plants to grow. The increase in plants, which breathe carbon dioxide, causes the levels to go back to normal. The earth is currently going through a warming period and because of that we are seeing large blooms of algae in the ocean. These algae blooms are incredibly efficient consumers of carbon dioxide.
The point is this: the earth knows what it needs. When there is a deficiency of one resource, it has a system in place to increase the production of that resource. Some could say that nothing is created unintentionally. If the earth has allowed something to be created, that something has a purpose. It is created to fill a need.
That goes for you as well. The fact that you were crated means that the earth had a need for more of...you. There is something about you and your uniqueness that was missing from the world. There was a very specific and particular need and so the earth made sure the genetics worked out just right to create a solution. You are the solution to something the earth needed.
So what am I supposed to do?
That information puts the responsibility on each of us to find out why we were created. What is it that makes us unique? What do we have to offer the world? Most people would immediately start to think that they need to come up with some big idea that would change the world or develop some product that would revolutionize an industry.
The truth is that our most important job on earth is to be authentic to who we are. If the earth created us a certain way, we need to find out why. Not only do we need to find out why, but it gives us permission to accept who we are. Our unique blend of strengths and weaknesses are the answer to a problem. So we can spend our time feeling depressed about things we see as flaws in our body or our character, or we can choose to see those as important parts of the puzzle. We can accept ourselves as we are rather than feel shame for what we are not. It gives us permission to not only laugh at our shortcomings but to work at enhancing our strengths. It allows us to be authentic. In today's world authenticity is a super-power.
For me, this idea pushes me to give the world the best of who I am, rather than hide my talents out of fear. I have a natural talent for putting together inspiring ideas and presenting them on stage. But for some reason I rarely share my thoughts on social media. I am always afraid that people will think that I am a narcissistic self-promoter who thinks he's better than everyone else. In my heart, I know people won't think that of me and yet that fear has kept me from sharing thoughts that could be incredibly helpful and uplifting to other people. The earth created me with a specific set of talents and I have let fear take me out of the equation. If I am not authentic to who I am and what I know I have been called to do, I am letting the earth down. The world had a need and I chose not to help. My goal for this year is to overcome that fear.
How do I find my purpose in life?
What are your talents? What are the things that make you unique? What holds you back? What life experiences have you had that could help you give advice to another person? Some of the most underrated talents include:
Being a good listener and support for people struggling with life.
Giving good advice that is specific and impactful for your friends and family.
Teaching people new skills.
Being outgoing and willing to get out on the dance floor so other people don't feel scared to do it.
Being willing to give people a helping hand in their projects.
Being a support for the leader of an organization.
In life, the true way to find happiness is to find your purpose and live it. You can't be truly happy trying to be someone else or create the life that was meant for someone else. People who ambitiously chase a life meant for others end up getting that life but losing themselves in the process. They get to the finish line only to find that there is no joy waiting for them there. They are left feeling hollow and unfulfilled. They spent their precious time here on earth in the pursuit of something that wasn't true to themselves.
I don't want that for you or anybody in the world. I want each of us is to take time to recognize our own personalized bundle of strengths, weaknesses, tendencies, and motivations so we know where to put our energy. I find it helps to write them down even though it feels really uncomfortable to do it. Try finishing the following statements:
"I am at my best when I _________."
"I feel happiness when I _________."
"I struggle with __________."
"I feel inspired when I watch ________."
"People tell me I am good at ________."
These prompts are designed to help you become a little more self-aware and highlight your natural tendencies. If you can find the things that inspire you and bring you joy, you are one step closer to finding your purpose. The feelings of inspiration are the little clues the earth gives us to answer the question, "Why am I here?" The earth gives us inspiring moments to try and nudge us into our destiny.
You are the answer.
So there it is; you are the solution to a problem the earth is facing. There was a shortage of YOU in the world and so the earth did something about it. It created you because we all need you. We need the real you, just as you are, with your unique bundle of talents and quirks. We already have way too many people trying to be something they are not and were never meant to be. We want real people, authentic people, giving us the best version of themselves. WE NEED YOU!