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The Breadcrumbs That Led to My Purpose

“I won’t be good at anything unless I love it.”

It was a sentiment I shared openly at 20 years old, on the precipice of graduating from college and jumping into the “real world.”

It probably sounded immature and entitled to anyone listening. Because things don’t work like that in an early-stage career, right?

But I was a bit of a dreamer – a curiosity follower, so-to-speak. While most students on campus majored in Management or Finance, I majored in Women’s Studies with a minor in Writing.

I was fascinated by women’s history, women’s rights, women’s evolution, and most of all the divine feminine and how women long ago had been worshiped, revered, and seen as sacred.

The writing? That had been my thing since 3rd grade when I wrote my first entries in a pink diary with unicorns on the cover. Putting pen to paper remained both a therapeutic outlet and an innate gift.

So, when it came time to find a job, it seemed like a natural fit to work for a women’s magazine – and I went for it.

✅ Graduated in 2005.
✅ Worked at a tiny magazine in 2006.
✅ Got hired at Harper’s Bazaar magazine in 2007.

Surely, I was on my way to becoming Editor-in-Chief at my dream magazine, SEVENTEEN, right?

Little did I know that once the glamor of the events with celebrities like Ashley Olsen and Stevie Wonder wore off, I would find myself in a petty environment where I felt worthless.

“This place isn’t me. I want to do more meaningful work…”

The whisper of my intuition was soft at first, but got louder the more soul-crushing Monday through Friday at the Hearst Tower became.

Soon enough, I made a decision. “I’m going to find another job, something more meaningful than marketing expensive designer clothing and accessories.”

And so, the journey began.

BREADCRUMB #1

A chance meeting at a shore house in Manasquan, NJ led to my next career move – working at a well-known non-profit in New York City, Dress for Success Worldwide.

It felt better. But within a few months, I knew this job wasn’t “the one” either.

BREADCRUMB #2

A workday Google search had me stumble upon the term “Health Coach.”

Seconds later, I found myself on the Institute for Integrative Nutrition’s website and gasped… “THIS IS IT! THIS IS WHAT I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR.”

The visceral, full-bodied response to this single finding completely rocked me. Never before had I felt so strongly about something. I had to trust it. And whew – that choice changed my life!

(THIS WAS A BIG ONE – here’s why!)

  • I discovered something I was incredibly passionate about and learned how to turn it into meaningful work.
  • I got hired in the marketing department at IIN and unlocked my professional gifts and confidence, getting promoted 2x and earning a 6-figure salary.
  • I emceed conferences with an audience of 1000 people and brushed elbows with Dr. Oz, Deepak Chopra, Arianna Huffington, and Marie Forleo.
  • I leveraged my writing skills and innate marketing brain to support the evolution of the IIN brand.
  • I grew leaps and bounds beyond where I’d been before priming me for what was next.

BREADCRUMB #3

Getting let go from my beloved job at IIN with a severance package in tow, and feeling very uncertain what to do next.

The weird part? I knew a big shift was coming. After 3 years at the company, I could feel that there would be an “opening” in my life that would allow me to make important changes. Namely finding work that felt more aligned.

But instead of it being on my terms, the Universe kicked my butt and forced me to figure out what I really wanted. Turned out – that was helping wellness entrepreneurs with their businesses. Within a few months, I was supporting clients with their content and website copy.

BREADCRUMB #4

I got a last-minute invite to a retreat in Vermont with a group of female entrepreneurs I really admired . They needed to fill a spot and I said yes!

Even though my severance package was about to run out, I knew I had to surround myself with people running businesses too. That decision led me to landing one of my first big name clients who quickly became a very dear friend. And boom, I was earning a full time income within 18 months.

It’s been 10 years and I still pinch myself. Somehow I found a way to use writing, my gift for deep listening, my intuition, and more to help others do what they love.

Here’s a core lesson I’ve learned: Following the breadcrumbs is what brings someone closer and closer to why they are here. All we ever have to do is get quiet enough to hear our inner wisdom and look at the opportunities right in front of us.

Now, finding my way to this work was one thing, but experiencing the magic of living my purpose was quite another.

Becoming a mother and then facing a worldwide pandemic showed me how much my purpose not only nourishes me deeply but keeps me connected to who I am and why I’m here.

No matter what crazy or uncertain season of life I’ve been in, I can count on my business to ground me and offer me solace. To make me feel like I’m contributing something meaningful and important.

This speaks to the greater benefits of really honoring your calling. It’s not just about fulfillment, doing something meaningful, and making a difference; it becomes a constant that nourishes you deeply and makes you feel fully alive.

I imagine you want that too, yes? That’s why you’re here. And I’m so happy you are! Consider me your partner in getting clear AND providing you with the roadmap that will help turn your purpose into your life’s work.

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Purpose Clarity

I Want to Clarify What My Purpose Is

Business Mentorship

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Professional Bio

Blair Badenhop is a global Life Purpose Guide, Brand Mentor, and Copywriter who has helped hundreds of humans clarify their callings and turn them into soulful businesses.

Since 2014, she has had the honor of working with NYTimes Best-Selling Authors, Emmy Award Winners, and countless entrepreneurs in the wellness and personal growth space – helping them create the most authentic expression of their brands on and offline.

She believes that everyone on Earth has purpose programmed into their DNA – and that when we allow that part of us to lead, we not only find the fulfillment and meaning we crave, but also allow ourselves to experience the immense joy of using our talents and passion for good.

She is the creator of Clear Purpose, a self-paced course that guides purpose seekers through a core ecosystem of clarifying exercises to pinpoint what their callings are so they can pursue them. She’s also the mastermind behind Your Wellness Brand, an intimate business mentorship container that helps heart-led entrepreneurs turn their callings into their life’s work.

Previously Blair worked at Parsley Health, the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Dress for Success Worldwide, and Harper’s Bazaar Magazine.