I am writing this on the deck overlooking the grounds, lake and woods of my ‘away from it all’ place. I spend time reading, writing, reflecting… and staying up late. I miss breakfast time, but it’s worth the pleasure of not having to get up at any particular time!
And as I write, I recall a recent phone conversation with a colleague. We talked about living our respective passions, what moves us, what excites us, what pushes us forward, whether we know it or not.
And these words seem insignificant compared to the sensational interior YES! you feel when you are on the right track with yourself and your purpose. There is no vocabulary for this or the certain uncertainty that accompanies you when you travel a path that you have never traveled before… but you know that ‘this is it’!
Our conversation also reminded me of the many times I said ‘NO!’ to that urgency, the one that captures my attention and pulls me to follow the signal even though he doesn’t understand what it is about or exactly where it’s going. The times I’ve looked up at the sky, and still do, screaming, “Haven’t I done enough?”
The answer is, of course, “No!”… Because my purpose unfolds and unfolds just as I unfolded and developed as a person. The ways I can express my purpose change over time as I change and grow. So there is always something else to do… which is exciting!
It’s also more than just a little scary!
But when I think back to my previous life when I kept to the straight and narrow, did what was expected of me, behaved as I imagined I should behave… you know the rest! Although he was ‘living dead’, he also had pain, restlessness, a feeling and knowledge that ‘there had to be more to life than this’. And of course there was and is.
So if you sit quietly with yourself, you may only hear your own restlessness, your own inner ‘voice’ calling to you that floats your boat, even if you don’t quite know what that is right now. Most likely, you will tell yourself that it is nonsense.
I remember that when I wanted to make a career, my ex-husband told me that I should have thought about it before getting married. And that’s one of the kinds of excuses you can give yourself… that it’s too late, it’s not the right time, like there’s ever a right time! or who do you think you are to be different… or even “Who am I? I can’t do that.”
And even when you know your purpose and passion, you can still fool yourself using the same old nasty excuses. I know because I can still do that to myself sometimes!
However, the truth is that following your passion, being successful at what you do, doesn’t necessarily mean you have to overthrow your current life at all… or if you want to, you have to do it in an almighty tumult. crisis. Though of course that’s up to you!
What it does mean is that you start living dangerously exactly where you are in your life right now. You have the feeling that there is something you can do in the world, no matter how big or small. Whether it’s growing African violets, raising their children, or becoming the next Anita Roddick…or all three!
And despite the fear, I promise you that you will feel your skin bristling with life if you do it… trusting in not-knowing and how little by little, if you don’t know them yet, it will show you your passion and your path to follow… . for now!
Here are some questions to start squeezing out your purpose and passion…
#1 What billboard catches your attention and what message does it convey to you?
#2 What subjects did you love in school… even if you didn’t follow them?
#3 What do you do when you feel most alive and enthusiastic?
Search for the topic(s) found in their responses and you’ll be well on your way to discovering your own purpose and passion!
