Next week mark’s the fifth anniversary of Space to Breathe becoming a Community Interest Company, registered with Companies House.
I remember vividly the day that the Company Certificate arrived in the post. I had been working on the ideas and principles that form Space to Breathe now for many years prior to this, probably from 2011 onwards. However, 6th April marked a moment where all those dreams become real.
“Here we go” I thought “now the fun starts.” Little did I know.
These past five years have been the hardest, most challenging years of my life. As anyone who’s started their own business knows, these are difficult things to do. There have been plenty of times when I wondered whether Space to Breathe would make it to it’s fifth birthday, plenty of late nights and early mornings, plenty of times I felt like giving up. But we made it.
I’ve got so many thank you’s to make and so many memories to share as Space to Breathe reaches this milestone. Over the next few weeks we’ll take some time on our blog and in our social media to do just that.
However, today I wanted to share the importance of purpose and meaning in this journey - for me and for others too.
Despite all the setbacks and difficult times, this has also been the most rewarding and fulfilling time for me too. I finally feel like I’ve found my place in the world and central to that has been finding my sense of meaning and purpose. I’m 52 years old and my main sense of vocation is (and always will be) being a father to my wonderful kids. But in terms of something that I do, I can honestly say I’ve never felt more of a sense that I’m in the right place, doing the right thing.
That phrase is so hard to quantify but it’s one I hear often from individuals we help at Space to Breathe. Discovering a sense of meaning and purpose in life seems to be a vital cog in how many of you try and support and build your wellbeing. If we can put our efforts to something that means something to us, that has a sense of vocation or energy - it makes a difference.
Many of us don’t have the luxury of doing a job that means something to us but there are always other avenues of finding purpose. Maybe volunteering, a pastime or interest, a sporting goal or bucket list. These things make a difference because they connect us with the bigger world out there - the sense of ‘other’ that we speak about in the Wellbeing Triangle.
Wherever you are in life, try to find something that feels like it’s in your sweet-spot. Find something to put your efforts to that feels like it fits who you are and seems to be a way you connect to the wider world.
Then there’s also energy in finding meaning. I cannot begin to describe the sense of meaning and wisdom I gain from meeting the people I work with. The irony is I’m often asked to go and help others, yet I find I gain tremendously from these incredible people facing ordinary everyday struggles and overcoming with their own brand of dignity, hope and determination.
Doing this job has made me realise there is meaning and meditation in everything. My eyes have been opened to the wisdom of the bumble bee, the beauty of a derelict building, then impact of a sunrise or the stories of ordinary people. This is what MIND describes in their Five Ways to Wellbeing as ‘Taking Notice.’
These two pillars of purpose and meaning are what makes Space to Breathe so special to me and makes me so grateful for the gift of the last five years.
So as we celebrate five years of Space to Breathe, we’re also going to be share content on the theme of Finding Purpose and Meaning - both in our Well? Subscription and also here on our website and our social media.
Buddhism says that “your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it.” This may seem a luxury in these days of high bills, terrible wars and stressful news - and in some ways it is. Yet if we can find ways to bring purpose and meaning in our lives then I believe we may find the strength to flourish and grow even in the toughest times. At least that is the wisdom I’ve learnt from these first five years of Space to Breathe and the amazing people I’ve met and worked with.
Here’s to the next five years to come.