Believe

I started this project with such commitment.  I believed in it.  I believed in myself.  I wanted answers.

Reality; I quickly became self conscience, embarrassed, and discouraged.  I thought this would give me invaluable insight to finding my Soul's Purpose. I started asking the question, What is your soul's purpose?"  People were uncomfortable which made me uncomfortable.  So I would quit and then start again.  And quit and you know...  I considered revamping the site changing my question.  The truth is I need to have more faith in me.  It is OK to ask this question.  I got a big vote of confidence and faith this morning.  I checked my email for the first time in a month for Soulful Answers.  Truthfully, there usually isn't anything there.  Until today...  I found this!

Hi Brooke -

We are working on a show with Rick Warren and saw some interesting  entries in your blog.

We are looking for some possible skypers for an upcoming show.

Can you please give me a call? And I can tell you more about it.

Thanks!

Cathena Evans

This came from OWN Oprah's Network!! It just goes to show you never know who is reading this.  I am inspired to get back on track.  To find the answer, "What is your Soul's Purpose?"  I dare you to answer it.  I am not going to take no for an answer!

Friendships Blossom

Do you ever get social anxiety?  I do.  Which is weird because as a kid I didn't at all.  So why now?  I am a grown up after all.  I have nothing to be afraid of.  I know their are no monsters in the closets or under my bed. Right?  Please tell me I'm right! Still that voice in my head,  the one who likes to nag whispers things like; they aren't gonna like you! Icky I hate that voice!

We had new friends over for dinner last night.  The beginning of a new school year brought us all together.  It was an effort to bring our children together and form long and lasting friendships.  It is an added bonus for us grown up kids to make new friends!

I moved to my new house 2 years ago.  I had lived in the same city for most of my life.  So to come to a new place and start over was a bit of a growing experience for me.  I had a 2 yr old at the time.  My mom was having difficulty excepting my move, and I was lonely.

It is amazing how in 2 years everything could be so different now.  We have lots of new friends.  We know many in our neighborhood.  The friendships are new, but they are growing.  My kids are blossoming in their new surroundings.  I have been more of a late bloomer.  It has been the case my whole life.  With the exception of being boy crazy at way too young of an age!  I am feeling blessed to have these new friendships starting to grow.  Although I get very anxiety filled having new people to my home, I am always happy that I did it.  I know people who don't get social anxiety are probably saying huh? If you get nervous around people like me then you understand.  I have to nudge myself to stay in the social game.  I am an introvert at heart, who desperately pushes myself and family to be more extroverted.

Coincidentally at church this was that very subject last week.  I am thankful for my new friends, and my children's new friends.  It makes me smile and feel very blessed.

Ecclesiastes 5:3
The Value Of a Friend
9 Two is better than one,
    Because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
    But woe to him who is alone when he falls.
    For he has no one to help him up.
11Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm;
    But how can one be warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.
    And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Above was what the pastor based his sermon on last week.  It touched my soul and spoke to me.  I like that! I can't believe I am quoting the Bible! My mother in law would be so proud. Seriously.

Contagious Behavior

Have you ever noticed when one person gets pregnant others soon follow? A women sees a cute newborn, and says I want one too! It puts the idea in others minds.  No I am not pregnant!  I am just using it as an example how your actions put the seed metaphorically of course in others minds.  No I didn't hatch my kiddos from an egg either but I loved this picture!  What I am trying to say is sometimes our behavior, moods, and actions can be contagious!

I once bought my daughter a hamster for a Christmas present.  She had begged me for a hamster for months and I gave in.  So I went to Petco and picked out a very furry teddy bear hamster.  I picked one from the male cage. I think I read something about the males being nicer? I brought it home.  She loved it.  Three days later my "male" hamster had 10 babies!  I freaked.  I was caught a little off guard that my boy hamster was a girl.  The poor thing was trapped in the boy cage at Petco.  It couldn't have been pretty! Anyway after the initial shock, and seeing that she wasn't eating her babies.  I calmed down.  You see I was still carrying around scars from a story a childhood friend told me when I was about 10.  She told me in great detail about her hamster having babies and then it massacring her hamster family.  Icky!

So needless to say as our hamster babies grew they became so cute.  Despite the horrible smell of 11 hamsters including the mom.  We all couldn't get enough of these little critters.  Within a few weeks these babies one by one found homes in some of our friends homes.  My daughter spread the word we had baby hamsters, and parents were calling.  Our decision to buy a hamster had then affected 10 other people just like that.

It is funny how that works.  Our actions, moods, behavior then goes on to change other people's lives.  This could be for the greater good or unfortunately for the worse.  We unknowingly inflicted smelly cute hamsters into many others homes.  They too would have to deal with the noisy wheel in the middle of the night, cleaning a stinky cage, and yes seeing the joy their kids had for the 2 weeks before they got bored of their new pet.

Well fast forward a few years,  this past weekend we went out of town.  My daughter now has a very cute cockatiel.  We needed a pet sitter.  Our very kind neighbor and friend agreed to take care of our animals.  What happened next... she begged her parents for a cocketiel!  So now they to have a bird!  Just think had we not gone away for the weekend they may not have bought a new pet.

This post isn't to just talk about peoples love of animals, or how impulsive we all get when it comes to cute animals. (Seriously, I almost bought a puppy from a stranger on a beach this past weekend!) This post is to remind us how our actions affect others.  Good or bad when we put ourselves into the universe it is received.  So be mindful to project the best you!  Oh also beware if you know me at some point you may feel inclined to get a bird, hamster, bunny, hermit crab, fish, or dog!

The Purpose Driven Life

I still haven't asked anyone else what their soul's purpose is.  Truth is I am kind of scared to do it.  It felt so icky to have those that I asked look at me like I was out of my mind. My little quest was causing others inconvenience.  I know eventually I need to man up and just ask someone anyone!  The truth is I find it interesting to hear their answers.

Like my nails?!

I have been reading this book in the meantime, A Purpose Driven Life.  It is highly religious. I am not.  Although the older I get the more open I am to having a relationship with God. Anyway I heard about the book from none other than Carrie Underwood's husband!  I was watching an interview they did together.  He said he tries to reread this book once a year. So he peaked my curiosity.  Here is this big hockey playing man who rereads the same book every year because he loves the book. The first chapter  of the book talks about a professor at Northeastern Illinois University who once wrote well known intellectuals in the world asking them, "What is the meaning of Life?" He then published their responses in a book.  He got answers like "I don't have a clue." (That sounds familiar to me!) Some said, "They made up an answer."  Others said, "Write me back when you find the answer!"

My thought, shit! If all these smarty pants can't answer then what?  My quest to find these answers has been asked a million times before.  Where do I go from here?  The book tells me to find my answer in God.  Give myself to him, and have him show me what I was created for... I am about 10 chapters in.  I like it.  It is just sometimes foreign to me. I didn't grow up in a religious home.  Although I believe in God.  So this is just part of the journey for me.  I am a bit of a control freak, and to give myself up to faith is a leap I haven't taken yet... Although I am open to it.

Don't Wait

Listening to your gut sometimes pushes you not only to do the perfect things, but sometimes you even do it at the most perfect time.  The other day I knew I was going to bring flowers to my new neighbor friend for her birthday.  What she gave me in return was so much more than I could give her.  Yes, I gave her a very pretty bouquet of flowers.  She was so thrilled and touched that her birthday was remembered.  I was so selfishly happy with my surprising ability to organise her flowers in a mason jar.  It truly looked adorable.  After I left her house she sent me a text saying, "I took a photo of the beautiful flowers you gave me and changed my FB (Facebook) profile picture to it. Thanks so much again! I love them!" I immediately went to her Facebook page to see it there.  So cool to see her profile picture as the gift I gave her.  It made me feel so good that she loved her present.  I then friended her on FB.  I am new to FB as is she I would find out later...

Facebook Profile

 The next day she would tell me how grateful again she was for the flowers, but also how much she appreciated the timing of the gift.  It was about 12 noon when I brought her the flowers.  It turned out none of her friends had reached out as of yet to wish her a Happy Birthday.  It wasn't that she doesn't have a tun of friends and family.  It was just one of those times where everyone was planning on calling later.  She said she was feeling like a little girl making fun of herself for wanting some birthday wishes. I see nothing wrong with wanting some attention on your Birthday.  It is after all the day God decided you would be born.  The first day you are on earth.  Your first day of life!

Anyway she said she was sort of feeling terrible and a bit unloved momentarily.  The great thing is the flowers turned her whole day around.  After she posted the flowers picture to her FB page she realised she never put her Birthday on her profile.  So none of her friends were sent notifications.  She soon would be flooded with Happy Birthday messages throughout her day.  I love how one simple thing can affect another persons day.  It is something to always keep in mind as we go through our days.  A persons action can positively or negatively change the course of someones day. 

I have learned from this simple experience.  I will make sure and give my friends and family a Happy Birthday shout out much earlier in the day.  If we all waited until later in the day a person might feel very hurt.  It is so easy at the very least to send an email or text.  It really does feel so sweet to give.  I never expected in return for wishing my friend a Happy Birthday, that I would be the one feeling so full of love. 

Flowers

My soul's purpose.  Today my soul called upon me to bring beautiful flowers to my neighbor for her birthday.  It always feels so awesome to do something nice for someone.  It fills me up.  It makes me stop thinking about anything other then making that person feel happy and important.  My soul's purpose still not sure... but today the answer was clear.  Wish my friend a very Happy Birthday! Feels great!

Me Again

Santa Fe Sunset (It looks like God's Soul!)

I have had the pleasure of getting 10 people including myself to answer the question, "What is your soul's purpose?" When I began this mission I thought I would be the only person who was having trouble with this answer.  Instead I have found most everyone has had a very hard time answering the question.  It has stressed people out when I ask it.  People look at me like I am a bit crazy for posing the question.  I actually became a little uncomfortable asking the question as time went on.  My thought was truly to ask as many people as I could, and use their answers to guide me in my own life.  Instead I have found I am not alone.  We are all very much the same in terms of looking for answers.  Some of us just think about it more.  While others don't have a problem just going with the flow letting life unfold before their eyes.

One thing I found very early on is the connection we all have to just giving and receiving love.  If we have love in our hearts everything else works.  Granted some days easier than others but life works with love being the primary goal.

Love for our self.
Love for our family.
Love for our career.
Love for everything!

Career brings great satisfaction to one's soul and strong family connections bring completion.   So as I find the courage to ask more people for the answer to "One's soul purpose." I get closer to understanding my own.  I feel less lost as I realize we all are trying to get to know our soul. So I have taken bits from each person who has shared with me.  I am able to apply their knowledge to my journey.  My own spiritual teachers!

I think Oprah may need a reality check when it comes to discovering one's soul.  She really made it seem as though it was a no brainer question.  Truth is it is much harder to answer then I think I would have ever thought.  I now know I am not alone in my quest...

My Soul

What is your soul’s purpose?

What is my Soul’s Purpose?

I am 41 years old and have no fricking clue what my soul’s purpose is! 

Is it simply to be a good mother?  A good wife?  A good sister?  A good friend…

Maybe.  

Yes, I want to be those things but I can’t imagine that is the only reason I was put on this earth.  Oprah said in her Lifeclass, “If you don’t know what your soul’s purpose is, then first thing you better do is figure it out!” So here I am committed to figuring it out.  Truthfully, I have always been curious to this fact.  I have actively been “soul searching” for about a year and a half or maybe my whole life!?  I feel as though my soul has sort of been poking at me from inside my body, but I am not sure at what point I might feel enlightenment?  I have watched Oprah’s Lifeclasses and Masterclasses.  I have been to “Ignite” a conference telling me “I can do it!”  I have listened to Dr. Wayne Dryer.  I have tried to read and listen to Echehart Tolle.  I have been reading a little Deepak.  Kris Carr is one of my spiritual muses. Tony Robbins totally psyched me up and got me ready to take down my fear. Louise Hay tells me I can heal myself.  Honestly, I feel like I am right back in my Cognitive Psychology class back in college.  I spent much of that class clueless until the end of the quarter when for a brief moment it all made sense.  I remember my professor telling me I had written one of the best papers he had ever read. It was there, and as quick as it came it left.

I think along the way to finding my soul’s purpose I had diversions, but according to most spiritual philosophers I am exactly where I am supposed to be?  So as I raise my family, my kids are finally getting to a stage that a can breath a little slower. I literally have more energy to align my stars, and figure out where my soul wants me to go.  How am I to be of service in this life?  I love being a mom, but I know I am supposed to do more.  I feel ashamed to say that because I think my kids might believe they are not top priority.  I promise this is not the case. I am here to do both.

My daughter recently asked me a question, “Mom what is your special gift?”  I was speechless.  She is 11 and asked a very soulful question to which I had no answer.  When I asked my husband what he thought my gift was he said, “You have the ability to organize and plan like nobody he knows.”  My dear friend Erin said, “Brooke you bring people together.”  So where do I take this information?  I have started Yoga and mediation.  I keep waiting for God to speak to me. He has always been amazingly kind to me.  I pray all the time.  I try listening to the whispers in my life that are guiding me, and admit I have been cold cocked a few times in life when I didn’t hear the message. I have had enough significant lessons that I would think some sort of “aha” would come from it!

As I move along in my life trying to live in the here and now I am going to ask as many people as I can this question: What is your soul’s purpose?  I wonder if young people will have a clearer picture than older people?  Has the soul of a young person not been smothered by the Ego yet?  I know my ego is loud and kind of bitchy at times.  I don’t remember her being quite so overpowering when I was little.  I felt strong and self-assured when I was a little girl.  When did I lose that feeling?  As I learn from others and what their soul’s purpose is.  I hope to gain more clarity to my own spiritual awakening.    I am going to find my soul’s purpose.  I look forward to getting to know you dear soul.  It will be my pleasure, and in turn my gift to share with all of you.

This blog is dedicated to my dad.  Today he would have turned 82.  I love you dad!