Where were you a year ago compared to where you are today? How different does your life look? My life received a transplant from a person I had no idea I could be. The core-shaking experiences I faced could play out in one of two ways with a single decision. Life was happening to me, or life was happening for me. It was preparing me for a life I never knew I could have. It forced me to decide for the first time in my life, what the hell was important to me right now?

We often rely on external circumstances to define our purpose in life, which leads to disappointment, frustration, and a lack of fulfillment. By turning our focus inward and asking the right questions of ourselves, we can identify a personal mission that gives deep meaning to our lives. This essay will help you get started with this important process.

In 1967, Hunter S Thompson spent an entire year living and riding with the Hells Angels motorcycle gang in order to write a first-hand account of the lives and experiences of its members. But fifty years ago, when Thompson was 22, he wrote a letter to his friend in response to a request for life advice. It might just be the best damn advice you'll hear for finding your purpose and living a meaningful life.

I became an uncle last week. At 10:43 a.m. on Thursday, a healthy 7-pound 4-ounce girl entered our world. It's a surreal experience as a brother to have your sister give birth. As a new life of possibility enters the world, it made me think, what are you capable of accomplishing in your life?

We've all been there, hitting send on an anger-fueled text that we immediately regret. In a fit of I'm angry and want to let it out, I smashed send on a clever mocking of an acquaintance’s uncanny resemblance to a circus clown. My hyper focus blinded my sensibility to realize it was a) stupid and, b) being sent to the person, not my intended friend. Instant karma. I was still pulling my heart off the ground when I heard the ping of the response. Good ol' Abraham Lincoln learned a similar valuable lesson before he learned the big secret of dealing with people.

A life is full of hidden surprises vying for our precious time. It's easy to forget their power as the results don't immediately stop. Like a pin prick in an air mattress. It will hold for a while, but with use will be flat in no time. Feeling drained builds until you’re stuck thinking there’s zero you can do about it.