Embracing the Essence of Our Souls – A Journey of Unraveling Purpose

I recently watched Soul, an animated film that beautifully brings life’s deepest questions to light. If you don't like spoilers, go watch the movie first then come back and read my post.

Ok, fair warning....

It follows Joe, a middle-school music teacher who dreams of making it big as a jazz musician. His passion for music is palpable—it’s what he believes defines his existence. But a sudden twist sends him spiraling into the afterlife, where he’s forced to reexamine what living truly means. The film was a profound reminder that life’s richness isn’t always in the grand moments or our striving ambitions. It often lies in the subtle, everyday connections, the little breaths of life we too easily overlook.

Watching Soul felt deeply personal, like a mirror to my own soul's journey. For years, I wore the badge of over-functioning like a badge of honor. I hustled to be the best daughter, the “fixer” in relationships, the dependable friend, the one who always had to excel at whatever was in front of me. I overextended, believing that my worth was found in what I did, not who I was. I over-functioned to prove I was enough—to earn love, validation, a sense of purpose. In my mind, stillness equaled failure. To be present with myself meant facing the uncomfortable questions and the heavy wounds I tried so hard to keep buried.

But what I didn’t see, what Soul so poignantly illuminated, was how over-functioning robs us of truly living. I used to believe that my purpose lay in ticking off achievement after achievement, constantly striving and proving. What I couldn’t see then was how this drive to function was, in part, a survival mechanism. Growing up in an environment where love often felt conditional, I thought my role was to be useful, valuable, indispensable. Yet, in over-functioning, I lost touch with true myself. I became a performer in my own life, leaving little to no room for the fullness of my humanity.

When Joe in Soul realizes that life is more than fulfilling one grand purpose, it struck a deep chord. Our purpose isn’t something we have to chase or “become.” It’s woven into the very fabric of our daily existence, from a lingering conversation with a loved one to the warmth of sunlight on our face. Life is not a relentless pursuit of the next milestone. It’s a dance of moments that touch our souls in ways that sadly often go unnoticed.

For me, over-functioning was a shield—a distraction from the wounds I didn’t know how to heal. The mother wound, with its legacy of seeking approval and fearing rejection, kept me trapped in cycles of doing, fixing, proving. But in the quiet moments of the Pandemic, when I allowed myself to pause and feel, I discovered that I was more than my achievements. I didn’t need to carry the weight of everyone else’s needs to be worthy of love. It has been 5 yrs of peeling back these layers of limiting beliefs. And I am finally reaching a point of believing my beautiful soul has always been enough.

Soul reminds us that we are not solely defined by our ambitions or roles. We are complex beings with intrinsic worth that extends beyond labels. The movie’s message is a call to release the pressure to over-perform and instead connect with the essence of who we are. It invites us to be curious about our own stories, to let go of striving for perfection, and to embrace ourselves just as we are.

On my journey of healing, I’m learning that purpose isn’t found in doing more but in being more present. It’s in the courage to face our wounds, to sit with the discomfort of unfulfilled expectations, and to give ourselves grace in the process. Over-functioning may have protected me in the past, but it’s no longer who I want to be. I’m finding a new rhythm—one where I can simply be, breathe, and honor the beauty of each moment.

For anyone out there who’s felt like they had to earn their place in this world through endless doing, I see you. It’s exhausting to carry the weight of proving yourself. But your soul was never meant to live confined by expectations. Soul reminded me that our essence isn’t about fulfilling a predetermined destiny—it’s about being fully alive. It’s about loving, connecting, and feeling deeply. It’s about embracing ourselves, even in the small and seemingly insignificant moments.

I’m learning to slow down, to honor the parts of myself that over-functioning tried to bury. I’m finding beauty in stillness and joy in simplicity. Perhaps my soul’s purpose isn’t something to “find” but rather a journey to embody—day by day, moment by moment, breath by breath. I hope you join me on this path of self-discovery. Let’s walk, rest, and simply be together. Our souls deserve that much.

This journey is ongoing, and it’s one I’m grateful to share with you. Thank you for being here, for listening, and for honoring your own soul’s rhythm, however imperfect it may seem. We are more than the roles we play—we are part of something much bigger, and we don’t have to do it alone.