Living on Purpose: Discover Your Place!

Where do you belong?

“Stay where you’re celebrated, not tolerated.” —James Justin, Author of How to Develop Healthy Relationships

Welcome back to the journey of our misfit bird! When we last left off, our orphan eagle had just discovered her ability to fly, soaring to new heights and feeling a sense of peace and belonging for the first time in her life. As she soared through the sky, she spotted something incredible—another bird who looked just like her. With burning curiosity, she flew toward this new bird with a thousand questions swirling inside her. Who was she? Why had she felt out of place her entire life? Could this bird have the answers?

As she drew closer, her heart raced with anticipation. The other bird noticed her approach, and with a warm greeting, they connected. Overwhelmed with excitement, the young eagle blurted out all her questions at once: “What kind of bird am I? How can I fly like this? Why don’t I fit in with the ducks?”

The older eagle chuckled kindly, recognizing the young bird’s confusion. After calming her down, the wise eagle explained everything.

Your Flaws Are On Purpose

The older eagle told her, “You’re an eagle, and eagles don’t belong in the water like ducks. We are built for the skies, not the ponds.”

All this time, the orphaned bird thought her differences were defects. She thought her awkward swimming, her inability to fit in, and her lack of grace meant something was wrong with her. But the truth? Those very differences were her strengths.

She realized eagles aren’t supposed to live life grounded—they’re meant to soar. Eagles don’t fit in with ducks because they are built for different purposes. The eagle’s wings weren’t a burden; they were her superpower, designed for high altitudes, not for paddling in the water.

This revelation lifted a huge weight off her heart. Suddenly, everything made sense. She wasn’t broken—she was just living in the wrong environment.

Does this story sound familiar? Just like the young eagle, so many of us feel out of place because we don’t understand who we really are or where we belong. We spend our time “quacking with ducks” when we’re actually built for something far greater. If you feel this way, it’s time to stop living in the wrong pond and start soaring in the right sky.

How to Find Your Place?

Finding your place in life requires courage, vulnerability, and a willingness to embrace discomfort. In his article, Mark Manson discusses “7 Strange Questions That Help You Find Your Life Purpose.” One of those questions is particularly relevant here: “How can you better embarrass yourself?”

Here’s what Manson says about it:

“Before you can be good at something, you must first suck at something and have no clue what you’re doing. To suck at something, you must embarrass yourself in some shape or form, often repeatedly. But most people try to avoid embarrassment because it sucks. However, if you avoid embarrassment, you will never do something that feels important.”

Let that sink in: Embrace embarrassment. The more something scares you, the more likely it’s the thing you need to be doing. Great achievements require breaking away from the herd, and yes, that can be terrifying.

Right now, there’s something you dream of doing. Maybe it’s a career change, starting a business, or a big creative project. You have your reasons for not doing it—fear of failure, fear of what others will think, fear of looking foolish. But are those reasons truly valid? Or are you just avoiding something you care deeply about because it scares you?

Our orphaned eagle spent years trying to fit in where she didn’t belong. She feared rejection and failure, so she stayed in her comfort zone until fate forced her to face the truth. What about you? Are you stuck in a place where you don’t belong because you’re afraid of stepping into the unknown? If so, it’s time to embrace your inner eagle and start flying.

Your Journey to Belonging

Our misfit eagle nearly lost her chance to discover her true identity. Her fear of being different and standing out kept her from her purpose. It wasn’t until she faced a life-threatening situation that she had no choice but to fly—and that’s when she found her true power.

Don’t wait for a crisis to push you into your purpose. Take a risk, and stop living out of place. The discomfort of change is far less painful than living a life where you don’t belong.

What About You?

Are you living out of place? Are you hiding your potential, stuck in a subpar existence, because you’re afraid of failure? Or worse, afraid of what others will think?

If you’ve found your place, that’s amazing! But if you’re still searching, we can help. The Optometry Divas community is here to support you on your journey to becoming the CEO of your life. Whether it’s developing a winning mindset, discovering your purpose, or taking bold steps toward your dreams, we’ve got you covered.

Ready to stop quacking and start flying? Click the link below to sign up for our consulting program and work on creating the life you were meant to live!

Stay Tuned for Part 3: Living on Purpose—Discover Your Prey!

We’re not done with our story yet! In the next chapter, we’ll follow our eagle as she continues her journey of self-discovery. What will she learn about her instincts and her prey? Stay tuned to find out!

Are you living on purpose?

If you’re ready to live on purpose and soar to new heights, let’s get started together. Join the Optometry Divas community and connect with women on the same journey to becoming the CEOs of their lives.

Until then, remember: Dream Big, Take Risks, and Become the CEO of YOU!