Celia Ward, the author of “A Woman’s Guide to Having It All Life Lessons to Live By” said something in her book that jumped off the page and into my heart. Her words touched me so deeply I actually yelled out, “Hell yes!” which is why I’m sharing her words with you right here, right now.
“When we are born we all have unique gifts to share with the world. Throughout our lives we are often thrown off track by taking a job that is safe and has great benefits but isn’t fulfilling, we aren’t passionate about it and it doesn’t serve our purpose. We may be good at it. We may be the best at it. That doesn’t mean that is your gift.”
We receive so many messages subconsciously from everyone in our lives and they are all a part of who you are today. My parents once said to me something like this, “It doesn’t matter if you like your job or not, as long as it has health benefits. Most people don’t like their jobs and that’s life.” I know they were coming from a place of love, said those words to protect me and because that is what they were taught to believe. They just want me to be safe and happy, but seriously is that life?
I started questioning whether that was what life was supposed to be about. I asked myself these questions.
Was I put on this earth to work insane amounts of hours per week doing something I don’t like just so I can get a decent paycheck and receive health benefits?
Was I put on this earth to work really hard at something during the prime of my life so when I’m old I can retire and then start living?
Is it better for me to play it safe and have a job that’s secure even if I don’t feel fulfilled than it is to take risks and live a life of passion, purpose and service?
If my heart answers no to these questions is that ok? Am I a bad person?
Answering yes to those questions were what was told to me to be true by so many people in so many different ways that I started to believe it for myself.
Thinking the answers to those questions were a yes, I applied for a job as a dance teacher in a public school. The job had amazing health benefits, a steady paycheck, I was putting money into a 401K (whatever that is) and my parents were on cloud nine. For a moment I thought, “Heck yeah! I made it!”
After the excitement wore off, each day when I woke up and went to work, I dreaded it. I despised my job so much I would pray to get in a car accident on the way to work. I would sit really close to the kids who weren’t feeling well so I would maybe catch what they had. I hurt my back badly and the doctor told me I couldn’t go to work for a week and I actually cheered in his office. I cheered because I was excited I was so injured that I couldn’t work. Is THAT what life is about? Are we just supposed to suffer day in and day out? Was I being a spoiled brat? I mean, I did have a “good job.”
Sometimes people in our lives tear us down by consciously or subconsciously not recognizing or supporting our genius. They aren’t evil people trying to take us down. They were taught these things and they think by not recognizing our awesome natural born gifts they are protecting and doing what’s best for us.
Or they might just be totally jealous because of how amazing we are. Those people are blind to their own awesomeness and will subconsciously try to make you feel bad about yourself too. Don’t buy into their projections of what they think your life is like. Buying into other’s projections of ourselves leads us down a very dangerous path.
What’s that voice you keep on hearing in your heart and head you can’t ignore? You hear it calling you and it gets louder and louder until you can’t help but listen to it. It might tell you to play music, to dance, to be a life coach, to be a doctor, to create art, to head a charity, to be a teacher, to write a book or to be a janitor.
The song “The Rainbow Connection” says it all.
Have you been half asleep
And have you heard voices
I’ve heard them calling my name
Is this the sweet sound
That calls the young sailors
The voice might be one and the same
I’ve heard it too many times to ignore it
It’s something that I’m supposed to be
Someday we’ll find it
The rainbow connection
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
Put your hand on your heart, take a couple deep breaths and ask yourself these questions. There is no right or wrong.
“What excites me?”
“What am I bursting at the seams to share with others?”
“What skill do I have that I are fantastic at that I could see myself doing everyday?”
“How can I use that skill to serve others in some way?”
“What does my heart want me to know right now?
I would love to hear what came up for you. Leave a comment.
The awesome in me sees and bows to the awesome in you.
