What am I going to be when I grow-up?

When did you ask yourself this question in your life?

I remember the first time I asked myself this, in elementary school. I wanted to be a teacher, then in grade 11 I was going to university for Music Education.

But it didn’t happen, life happened, relationships happened. Road blocks shifted me another way. Still nearly 20 years later I don’t have the answer.

For much of this life, I feel like I have tried to attain that bar of gold, so that I could feel better about myself. Attainment of wealth, title, status. Looking to others to satisfy the internal need of feeling worthy.

The one thing that happens with this is that the need is met, but then disappears. It is instant gratification, and once it is fulfilled temporarily you then feel empty – wanting it again. The bar of gold only lasts so long.

I am learning this, and thankful for the learning opportunity.

Did you know that you can be fulfilled right now? Satisfied exactly where you are? And it doesn’t matter what you have?

There are a few things that have to align:

1) Use your abilities: if you look back on your life you should see a theme of your interest areas. These interest areas created that sparkle in you where you felt amazing after you completed the task. These are your God given talents, maximize them, use them – even if it isn’t for financial gain. Once you start using them you will feel that fire ignite again. For me, this is helping others in need, and the ability to relate to others freely through communication.

2) Enjoyment in what you are doing: In order to align your abilities with what you are doing, you have to feel the inner enjoyment from what you are doing. You cannot simply do something for the purpose of instant gratification, for the “now”. The feeling inside when you do this special something with your abilities, feels lasting and good. You feel like you have contributed, while feeling fulfilled inside out.

3) You are wiling to take a risk: Sometimes utilizing our abilities may take risk, or time and effort where we may feel like we don’t have the time. But I can tell you this much, there is no reward without the risk. Fulfillment in what we do may require us to go outside of our comfort zone.

4) An opportunity presents itself: this may not be as evident as we would like it, but if we are aware of our talents we will be more aware of potential opportunities.

You may be asking yourself what if I don’t know my gifts or talents? There are simple ways of discovering this. Ask a friend or family member – what do they see in you? There are assessments online that can assist in the excavation process (spiritual and non spiritual), pull out at magazine or a few and cut out words or pictures that appeal to you (maybe you will see a theme).