I have been in the industry of hospitality for a long time now and I am proud to have collaborated with people from all walks of life! We laugh, we struggle, we lose each other for periods of times being submerged in work, but for most of us, life and trade is what brings us together. However diverse our trades may be, equally different is peoples attitude towards life I am often asked the question; what is your purpose in life or do you fulfil your purpose in this life? Being an architect turned baker, I must admit that in the process of the change I often wonder myself many times if this is really what I am meant to be doing in life… Not being very religious by nature my questions were certainly not answered in places of worship, however, the same question kept on coming up ..what is my purpose in life?

I see people from our current generation living a deeply unfulfilled life – and what I mean by this is the following: they think they deserve something more, something better, something that is not given to them on a plate that they haven’t had to work for and as a consequence of this they carry a sadness within themselves when they don’t get it!

They do things they enjoy but this seems to be only a fraction of what they “should” do to fulfil their life’s purpose; the gap in their lives is inevitable. They seem to be rarely happy, constantly looking for the next bigger and better thing that fits within the image of today for what they “think” is correct. Social media plays a massive part in playing with people’s minds. We are constantly reminded of material possessions / perfect holiday pictures, however so often these hold untold truths of written articles are certainly not helping them find their way.

So what is my purpose? Did I study for 8 years to become a baker? It certainly feels a huge downgrade, my parents would say! Or did you study Marketing to be the last wheel in a big marketing company in the city? I am sure you dreamt of more… So here are my thoughts: For anyone thinking that you do not fulfil your purpose from your daily routine to your bigger expectations, know that you certainly do! So put these thoughts at ease and rest assured that you are fulfilling your purpose now, minute by minute and living the life you deserve! While I know this may sound harsh on some occasions, it is fortunately or unfortunately true and only by embracing this one can really make true plans for the future.

The steps to enlightenment:

Accept where you are because this is the result of past actions, whether fully determined or not.

Stop occupying your energy and mind that this is not where you should be – this is it, you are living it! Only you can change this! Don’t look for excuses as to why you cant See your life through magnifying lenses – we sometimes tend to devalue the amazing things we have and do in our current life as someone is always doing something better or more than you. This is a fact of life and always will be. Don’t let this overshadow you by the feeling of being unfulfilled that can come from this. Embrace it!

Shake off the unfulfilling feelings that it is your fault, and  thoughts of an unfulfilling life give you (yes it is a difficult sentence, you may read it again!) Put your life into perspective – and be grateful for what you have achieved or was given to you; for example money from your parents or a beautiful mind that carries you forward in life! Both are appreciated! Plan for further fulfillment, through the things that are currently missing.

At all times believe and act as if this is your purpose; because it really is!

I am not a master of mind but I have learned that there is nothing worse to live a life thinking of the unfulfilling purpose of itself. And since this is a mental exercise you must prepare yourself; to make the necessary changes you must lift your spirit, your mindset, and your body through exercise and the right choices in food, vegan, sugar-free or free from gluten and wheat! So after a circle of life, the ups and downs, the happiness and sadness, I have a question for you all, am I fulfilling my purpose from an architect to a baker for the award-winning healthy lifestyle bakery, Arapina? I think I am!

Michaela Pontiki