There are so many more books, coaches, and workshops to help you find your bliss or passion compared to when I began my own journey as I ventured from university to the so-called real world.
One of the key steps is always looking at what interests you or what you seem to do whether someone pays you or not. As you begin this treasure hunt, you arrive at skills that remained invisible because they came so easily, or because you’d spent so much time perfecting them that you didn’t realize you’d become good at them.
This has come to my awareness again lately. I’ve said before that I never expected or planned to use my communication skills (writing, public speaking) as a significant part of my career path, yet somehow they’ve come to the forefront on many an occasion. I feel like one of those actors who says they are shy but find they light up on stage. Likewise, writing and public speaking have given me opportunities to have a voice when I was more used to being introverted with my opinions and ideas.
It is a joy to dig through what you do on a regular basis and discover that a skill taken for granted is something you’ve come to enjoy immensely. This is the finding of a thing that’s been there all along, therefore bringing with it a sense of ease, truth, and delight.
Once the skill is seen and owned, it can be taken into a new hobby, career path, or way of life. The choice is yours.
My interest in clothing began very young, but was something I didn’t discuss. On some level, I was afraid it would be seen as shallow (compared to my own perception of it reflecting joy, dignity, beauty, pleasure, authentic expression). Years upon years of this quiet “behind the scenes study” and awareness gave me a skill that I finally brought into my business in 2009. And the more I provide personal styling, the more I realize how much I’ve absorbed over the years and now have to offer clients. It is a joy to give what feels so natural while being of value. It has become a passion in practice.
It can take time to own who we really are and the gifts that we have been given, usually from a young age. Take a look, notice the bread crumbs along the way in the form of natural talents and skills that brought you to where you are today. And then, open your mind to see what you could do with them…if you so chose.
Great insights as always! It is so true how we can find these surprising paradoxes within ourselves – I have to come to realize several myself.
Thanks! I’d love to hear what skills, talents you’ve found…
Great insights as always! It is so true how we can find these surprising paradoxes within ourselves – I have to come to realize several myself.
Thanks! I’d love to hear what skills, talents you’ve found…
Well, since you ask, I have this passion for self-expression whether it is through music, art, photography, writing/poetry, dance and often I’m not directly active in the form of self-expression (e.g. dance), but I’m still passionate about it whether I’m active or just a spectator. The paradox is that I have this part of me that tends to shy away from sharing it and it holds me back in many ways, but there has been the odd occasion where I have shared it and have enjoyed that sense of sharing and self-expression, unless I find I didn’t perform at the level of my expectations and then the self-criticism kicks in and the experience becomes negative, and then I tend to hide under a blanket in shame :-(((( or seek psychotherapy :-))) So you see – it is a huge paradox within me, for sure! I obviously need help :-)))
haha. That’s the journey! Keep expressing 🙂 It’s worth it!
Sometimes I am like that too. I think we are too hard on ourselves and that prevents us from just having fun, improving and becoming who we really want to be. When we were kids, it was so much easier, we weren’t afraid of anything. We weren’t self critical. And we could just have fun and do everything to our hearts delight. Part of the journey is overcoming that and it takes effort, I am still trying to overcome that problem myself.
Thanks for sharing “Magicianroro”. I think the key is to change our thinking (i.e. our judgement of ourselves and others also) to eliminate the fear and quiet the voice stemming from the ego. If you ever find the answer to this problem, please do share 🙂