What a crazy ride it’s been. We live in a time where people are growing increasingly dissatisfied with their careers and questioning what really matters in their lives. Now is the time for us to take stock and figure out our next chapter in a real way. It’s time to find your lane.
That involves figuring out who and where we are at this point in our lives, and where we are trying to go. If you could do just one thing for the rest of your life, what would you choose? What are your passions? Finding the perfect intersection between doing the things that we are passionate about, and focusing on what is important to us is the goal. Then our time, our most precious resource, truly becomes our own. Additionally, we must identify the natural talents and gifts that we have been given and share them with the world.
Who Are You Now?
Over the course of our lives, we grow and change into different people. Lifestyle choices that worked for us in the past may no longer be congruent with our current state of mind. Figure out where you stand right now by considering a few things:
- Values: What are the things that you feel are important to sustain your quality of life?
- Passions: What things bring you joy and support your overall happiness?
- Boundaries: What boundaries need to be in place personally and professionally for you to feel safe and flourish?
Whatever is important to you is worthy of inclusion. Also, begin figuring out which things are needs vs. wants. Which relationships and pursuits should we continue to pour ourselves into, and what should be let go of?
Where Are You Now?
Time
At this point in your life what do you have time for, and what would you like to make more time for? It’s all about using our time in a way that supports our health and growth as a person.
Career
You may find that the career that you chose way back when doesn’t truly serve you anymore. Going to work makes you feel as if you are being robbed of your vitality. Nothing is written in stone, and we are only bound by the limitations that we place on ourselves. Don’t feel like you don’t have options, because you always do. You just need to decide what concessions you are willing to make in support of the life you really want to live. Consider it.
Personal
Are you fulfilled personally? Are you surrounding yourself with people who love and honor your spirit? Life is way too short to spend our earth-time embroiled in negativity. There are many people who dwell in a negative space indefinitely, and interacting with them can be draining. If possible, limit your time with them and protect your peace.
Taking stock of where you are right now will allow you to build a meaningful life based on your current truths.
What Makes You Happy?
These days it can be increasingly difficult to squeeze in a little time to do the things we love. I like to list 3 things that really make me happy, and commit to doing more of them. Sometimes I get so busy that I forget to do the things that are truly restorative for me. I’ve found that by integrating these things into my everyday activities, I am ultimately happier because I’m doing something just for me. No matter how crazy my day gets, at some point, I’m doing something that will infuse positivity into my day.
What Are Your Passions?
If you could do one thing for the rest of your life, what would you choose? Your passions are things that you feel drawn to, and things that you feel compelled to consider. Things that on their own give you a tremendous sense of purpose and fulfillment. It is important to identify your passions because they come with an unbridled drive that will propel you forward when you are pursuing them. Pay attention to them, because they will always be time well spent for you.
When a portion of our busy lives are spent pursuing the things we are passionate about, the stressors of our lives tend to dissipate. That is because we are creating space for things that truly make us happy.
What Are You Great At?
There are things that if you think about it long enough, you might do better than most people. Gifts that come naturally to you, that you could probably do with your eyes closed. These are our talents. Plenty of times our talents get pushed to the background and ignored because our day jobs consume us.
It’s time to take a look at what your talents are and bring them to the forefront of your life. Think about how you can integrate your talents into your life in a way that serves you and others.
I can tell you from personal experience that for years my own passions and talents went unacknowledged and unexplored. I spent all of my time and mental energy on surviving a corporate environment that didn’t serve me spiritually, while my gifts languished in a corner. They didn’t even have a seat at the table. In retrospect, I wish that I had given my gifts the time that they deserved way back when I started my career. I have no doubt that it would have enriched my life significantly.
Passion To Purpose
Living in your truth involves aligning your values, passions, and purpose in a way that fulfills your life. When you can find the intersection between your strengths and your passion you will arrive at your purpose. Find the one thing that you do extremely well and build a career around it if you can. Bring your gifts into your everyday life and watch your universe expand in real-time.
Think about a community that might benefit from your talents, knowledge, and experience. When you build a career out of doing the things that you love the world shifts and the opportunities are endless.
The Carve Out
Now that you’ve spent time identifying your passion and purpose, it’s time to make an intentional plan for your life. That means deciding how you will incorporate these things into your everyday existence. Make a list of different career options that incorporate your passion. Schedule some time first thing in the morning to do something you love. Carve out some time, even if it’s 10-20 minutes per day to give your plan its due. If you squeeze in a few of your passions each day, your mood will shift in a positive direction.
The Immersion
There are no limits to where you can take your passions if you take a chance and immerse yourself in them. Be brave and go for it. Over time you will discover even more avenues of interest. Things you hadn’t even thought of. You will feel your joy grow in real-time, and you will find your lane. No one needs to give you permission to live the life that you want. Check out my previous post “Waiting for Permission” https://herpicketfence.com/waiting-for-permission-an-unconventional-life/. Also, If you’re interested in finding out a little bit more about finding your passion check out this article: https://tinybuddha.com/blog/try-this-if-youre-struggling-to-find-your-passion/.
Ultimately we have one life to live and how we choose to spend it is entirely up to us. Step away from your cubicle, slide off your headphones, and let some light in!
