Opinions and expectations

Somebody asked me, “How does one define your purpose? How does one get to that place where they are living the life they were meant to live?”
There are various views on this. Mine is just one more. The broad spectrum of purpose cannot be summarised in one short piece so I will just share on what I have seen and learnt about opinions.
Opinions play a big role in the way we see ourselves and what we work towards. Often, we find ourselves living our lives based on the opinions of others. They say that what others think of you should not matter but the reality is that it does. We find ourselves wanting to live up to the expectations of the ones we care about, needing to meet that status, buy that car, get that job and have a particular lifestyle to fit in with the crowd. Is this a bad thing? No. Being mindful of the expectations of others make us more accommodating towards them, and we can then live peacefully with each other.
However, what others expect from us can become a trap, keeping us from living happy and fulfilled lives. For instance, the young person who gives up their dream to be a musician for a desk job because that is what his parents expect from him finds himself losing sight of his purpose and enjoying his every day life.
My take – we need to listen to others but be wise enough to know the difference between the opinions that should influence us and the ones we should ignore. Remember, we only have one life to life, we should be living it to the fullest. Sometimes just being brave enough to stand up for what we believe in is the first step in the journey towards purpose and a fulfilled life.
And so my dear reader, be brave enough today to stand up for your opinion. Prayerfully consider the direction your life should be moving towards. Play an active role in pursuing your destiny: the world will respect you for it and you will find yourself more fulfilled in the long run.