Own Your Everyday

Picture this: you're scrolling through social media at 11 PM, watching everyone else seem to have their lives perfectly figured out while you're still wondering what you're supposed to be doing with yours. Sound familiar? You're not alone in feeling the crushing weight of expectations and the pressure to prove yourself worthy of the life you're living. The truth is, most of us spend so much energy trying to find our purpose that we forget we might already be sitting on it.

This book isn't about waiting until you have all the answers before you start living meaningfully. It's about discovering that your purpose isn't something you need to hunt down like a hidden treasure—it's something you can live out right now, in your ordinary, messy, beautifully imperfect everyday life. When we stop trying so hard to prove ourselves and start showing up authentically where we are, everything changes.

The pressure to prove yourself is essentially a prison you build around your own potential. When you're constantly trying to demonstrate your worth through achievements, appearances, or approval from others, you're operating from a deficit mindset rather than from the abundance of who you already are. This pressure creates a toxic cycle where your value becomes tied to external validation rather than internal truth.

Consider Jordan's experience in college when she joined a sorority, initially motivated by a desperate need to fit in and find acceptance. She thought she had to prove she was likeable, accomplished, and worthy of belonging. But what she discovered was profound: the moments that mattered most weren't the ones where she was performing or proving herself, but the late-night conversations with sisters, the spontaneous walks around campus, and the simple acts of showing up for friends during difficult times. These ordinary moments revealed her true calling—to create safe spaces where women could be authentic and supported.

The key to breaking free from this pressure lies in shifting your focus from external validation to internal purpose. Start by identifying the specific ways you try to prove yourself—through perfectionism, people-pleasing, or constant achievement. Then practice showing up as your authentic self in small, low-stakes situations. When you catch yourself performing for others' approval, pause and ask: "What would I do right now if I already knew I was enough?"

Remember, you can't live your purpose while you're busy proving you deserve one. The pressure to prove and true purpose cannot coexist. When you release the need to demonstrate your worthiness, you create space for your authentic gifts to emerge and touch the world around you.

Mental barriers are the invisible walls we build in our minds that keep us trapped in limiting beliefs and paralyzing patterns. These barriers often manifest as impostor syndrome, fear of failure, comparison, perfectionism, and endless procrastination. The antidote isn't positive thinking alone—it's intentional action that directly contradicts the lies these barriers tell us.

Jordan's journey illustrates this perfectly. When she started her first business with nothing but a Sharpie marker and computer paper, every mental barrier screamed that she wasn't qualified, experienced, or worthy enough to succeed. The impostor syndrome was deafening. But instead of waiting to feel ready, she took one small, imperfect action: creating her first Etsy listing. That single step led to her first sale, which led to recruiting friends to help with packaging, which eventually grew into a thriving business and speaking career.

The breakthrough happens through what she calls "incremental, implementable imperfection action." This means taking small, doable steps even when you don't feel ready or qualified. When your mind tells you you're not good enough, respond with action. When fear whispers that you'll fail, prove it wrong by trying anyway. Create a system where you take one small action toward your goals daily, regardless of how you feel.

Equip yourself with the 10-10-10 rule: when facing a decision, ask how you'll feel about it in 10 minutes, 10 weeks, and 10 years. This perspective shift helps you see beyond immediate discomfort to long-term purpose. Mental barriers lose their power when you consistently choose action over anxiety, progress over perfection, and courage over comfort.

Your identity is not what you do—it's who you are beneath all the roles, titles, and accomplishments. When you derive your sense of self from achievements, you're building your life on shifting sand. Jobs change, relationships evolve, and accolades fade, but your core identity as someone created with intention and purpose remains constant. This foundation becomes the unshakeable ground from which authentic purpose flows.

The pivotal moment came for Jordan when, as a teenager struggling with life's big questions, she asked God directly: "Who am I?" Instead of receiving a list of her accomplishments or roles, she heard one simple, profound word: "Mine." This revelation shifted everything. Her worth wasn't tied to her performance as a student, athlete, or daughter—it was anchored in being chosen and loved unconditionally. This identity gave her the confidence to take risks, embrace imperfection, and serve others without constantly needing to prove her value.

Living from identity rather than achievement requires daily practice. Start each morning by affirming who you are at your core, not what you hope to accomplish that day. When facing decisions, ask not "What will make me look successful?" but "What aligns with who I truly am?" Replace the question "Who am I to do this?" with "Who am I not to do this?" Your identity as someone created for purpose gives you both permission and responsibility to act.

When you know who you are, you stop asking "What is my purpose?" and start asking "How can I live out of who I already am?" This shift transforms everything—your relationships become more authentic, your work becomes more meaningful, and your daily choices align with your deepest values rather than external expectations.

Waiting for the perfect moment, complete clarity, or ideal circumstances is just another form of resistance disguised as wisdom. Purpose isn't a destination you arrive at after figuring everything out—it's a way of living that infuses meaning into whatever season you're currently in. The most powerful purpose often emerges not despite your uncertainty, but because of your willingness to act within it.

Jordan's story perfectly illustrates this truth. She and her husband spent years waiting for his NFL career to provide their platform for purpose. When that dream crumbled—twice—they felt lost and purposeless. But in retrospect, those seeming failures redirected them toward their actual calling. The disappointment taught them that their purpose wasn't dependent on a big stage or impressive platform. Instead, it was found in loving people right where they were, with what they had, in their small Indiana community.

The shift from waiting to living happens when you embrace what Jordan calls "micro-success factors"—daily actions that align with your values and serve others. These might include spending uninterrupted time with loved ones, moving your body, talking to God, or creating something meaningful. These small, consistent actions compound over time, creating a life of purpose long before you have everything figured out.

Stop asking "What is my purpose?" and start asking "How can I bring heaven to earth today?" Purpose isn't about finding the one perfect thing you're meant to do—it's about infusing love, service, and intentionality into whatever you're doing right now. Take one small step today that serves someone else or develops your character. Your purpose is already activated; you just need to start living it.

The journey to purposeful living isn't about waiting for clarity or achieving perfection—it's about embracing the beautiful mess of showing up authentically right where you are. When you release the pressure to prove yourself and instead focus on who you are and how you can serve, everything changes. As this book reminds us, "You are not an accident. You are not merely a work in progress. You are a woman of purpose, uniquely chosen to change today's world."

Your unfigured-out dreams might actually be the best kind because they keep you dependent on faith rather than your own understanding. The path to purpose is paved with small, faithful steps taken before you can see the whole staircase. Start today by taking one intentional action that serves someone else or honors who you're created to be. Stop waiting for someday and start owning your everyday—the world is waiting for the unique gift that only you can bring.