09/22/2026
As we said goodbye to summer yesterday, I found myself reflecting on one of the season's highlights.
My husband and I joined a Thrivent team to work on a Habitat for Humanity build in North Macedonia. It was one of the most rejuvenating weeks I've ever spent away from the office, and I've been trying to understand why.
During my morning walk, I was listening to Mel Robbins' podcast with Oprah about finding your purpose, and it clicked.
That week allowed me to be firmly rooted in mine: serving others.
Helping provide a family with a safe place to call home was an incredible gift, but it was much more than that. I laughed...a lot. The kind of laughter that leaves your abs sore. I hadn't realized how much I missed that.
I also rediscovered how much joy there is in working side by side with others toward a common goal. Building together, solving problems together, serving together. Somewhere between the ditch digging, the conversations, and the shared purpose, I felt more like myself than I had in a long time.
As a financial advisor, I spend a lot of time helping people align their finances with what matters most, their values, goals, legacy, and purpose.
What I didn't expect was for this experience to remind me to ask myself the same question: Am I aligning my time and energy with what matters most to me?
I'd love to hear how you intentionally lived out your purpose this summer.