Published: 8th February 2008 in the Rochdale Observer

After completing a soul-searching 'Wheel of Life', which asked me to rank my levels of satisfaction with money, career, friends and family and romance, I am now being helped to realise my purpose in life.  A set of questions will give me 'permission' to consider where my fulfilment in life might be.

And, to be honest, after spending 10 years busily writing about other people and their achievements, I am really not too sure.  What will I be doing in the future? 

What would I leap out of bed to do if I had the freedom, financial or otherwise?  And what difference would I make to the local community and indeed the world?  When am I at my absolute best?  What do I want my family and friends to say about me?  Well, nice things I hope.

I am also asked to identify what is stopping me from achieving my dreams and the support I need to get there.  I realise I will need some time to mull these deep life questions over.

My life coach Kathryn Ansley has advised me to answer the questions I feel comfortable with first.  And I am told to come back to the questions that make me feel most uncomfortable because I might learn more from these.

Like a tricky piece of homework or tough exam questions, I feel like I want to shout for help.  But that would be defeating the purpose of the exercise.