I recently listened to Jay Shetty's mental health podcast, On Purpose, with the intention to answer this question:

"How can I be of service to the world and live a life of purpose?"

What I discovered:

As I listened to the podcast, I realized what was blocking me from fully using my gifts to improve the lives of others -- my ego.

Jay explains how the only way you could be of service, is to learn how to purify yourself of elements that block you from serving people from a full heart (i.e. ego, arrogance, pride, envy, and illusion).

So, if you want to quiet your ego, love and accept yourself for who you are, and live a life of purpose and service, here's one skill you can develop to help unfold the path forward:

The first step to purifying your ego is self-validation.

According to Jay Shetty, ego is fueled by chasing external validation from people to make us feel good about ourselves.

Whereas living a true, honest life, you are empowered by acknowledging your own strengths, weaknesses, emotions, achievements, skills, and flaws without judgement.

If you're ready to fully embrace yourself and open the doors to purpose, here are some journal questions to get you started:

• What are three things I love about myself, and why do I value these traits or qualities?

• What are my top five strengths, and how do they help me in my daily life?

• What are three weaknesses I have, and how can I approach them with kindness and understanding?

• What are three skills I am proud of, and how have I developed these skills over time?

Acceptance is key in purifying your ego.

By acknowledging and embracing your complexity and who you're becoming, you're honesty accepting and loving yourself for all that you are.