Have you ever lain in bed, feeling utterly miserable and convinced that life is empty and meaningless? That gnawing pit in your stomach, the crushing doubt, and yet there is a faint, but persistent voice in the back of your mind whispering, “There is more to life than this, you are meant for more.” That was me, not so long ago. I was trapped in a cycle of despair, hiding away from the world because I couldn’t bear to be seen. But I broke free. Here’s how I transformed from that lost soul into the man I am today, driven by a burning purpose that gets me leaping out of bed every morning.

It was the third week in a row that I hadn’t left my apartment or gone to work. My muscles ached from lying on the couch all day. As I scrolled through YouTube Shorts, a video caught my attention. It was Tank Tolman and his baby girl. She was swinging back and forth, laughing those incredible belly laughs children make when they experience absolute joy. Tank was dodging around her, lunging at his punching bag, ducking underneath her, and play-acting that she was knocking him down. The pure joy of that father-daughter moment stopped me in my tracks.

I realized I had tears in my eyes as I watched it for the third or fourth time (I’m tearing up again just writing about it). It was a moment of pure human beauty, and it hit me like a freight train: “I’ll NEVER have that if I stay here and keep avoiding my life.” It broke me. It shattered the part of me that was holding my head under the waters of misery and avoidance. I finally realized that if I continued to hide, I would never have a life worth living. But, that realization alone wasn’t enough.

A piece of the cloud I was living under had lifted, but I still had to do something about it. That was scary, and I hid away a while longer. But that voice in the back of my head, “There is more to life than this, you are meant for more,” kept getting louder. I kept encountering positive messages that slowly pulled me in until, finally, I made a drastic decision.

I sold everything, packed up, and moved to a new city in a completely different country. Did that fix me? Not quite. I was still missing a few things. After I moved, I took a break “to unwind.” In reality, I was stalling and making excuses to avoid doing something worthwhile. I made some bad decisions and did things I regret. The funny thing about regrets is that, if you pause and listen to them, they can help turn you around.

After I slept with someone I shouldn’t have, the intense regret finally kicked in and spurred me to action. I made the conscious choice to do something, anything to avoid slipping back into my old habits. Fortunately, I had past experiences that showed me I could make a difference, but I couldn’t do it alone. I found a mentor, immersed myself in his teachings, surrounded myself with positivity, and listened to the people he surrounded himself with.

That inferno drives me forward to help others like me because, when I needed it most, someone stepped in and helped me. I’m no expert, and I’m probably just a few steps farther on the path than most people, but I believe I can help someone find their own spark of inspiration and purpose, sparing them the pain and regret I’ve endured. With all the force of my will, determination, and effort, I WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Have you ever felt this way? Email me at tim@FindingYourPurposeSecrets.com to share your story!