How do you figure out what your dream is? Your big dream? Your calling? That thing you are born to do.
I believe in that you don’t have to chase it. It will come to you. Now that doesn’t mean it will just come to you if you spend your life laying on the couch watching TV and eating Doritos. What it means is that you will come across it by trying many different things in life, by staying curious and always be learning.
When you come across that dream or calling it won’t leave you alone. It nags you and it’s like a boomerang. No matter how far you throw it, it will come back. And it can hit you years or even decades after you threw it away. Then once it comes back the more you throw it away the harder it will hit you each time. Eventually it hits you hard enough you start paying attention.
I’ve always been creative. Not the Suzy homemaker creative but creative in terms of writing, drawing, singing, and taking photos.
I used to sit up half the nights to write poems, lyrics and short stories. I dreamed of writing a book one day. I would sit up half the nights to draw. Mostly portraits. I almost went to art school. I dabbled in graphic design, I worked at a magazine, volunteered my time putting together pamphlets, brochures, flyers and posters for various associations, I wrote articles for outdoor magazines. I always thought I was going to be a freelance writer.
Then one day I stopped drawing. Literally overnight. Not sure why. But I kept writing. Then I stopped writing for a while. I got busy working a traditional corporate job and life threw me a lot of curve balls. A few years ago I started dreaming about writing a book again. Slowly writing came back into my life.
How do I know that writing is a dream of mine? Because it won’t leave me alone. It’s like this nagging feeling I need to get words out of me. My writing has changed a lot. I haven’t written a poem or lyrics in ages. I think blogging has changed a bit how I write. It’s more topic driven now. I’m also finding that creative side again. Photography is becoming a new passion of mine. I want to tell stories through my photos.
I think we all have a lot of small dreams and goals. But that big one? It will not leave you alone, even when you try. Often it’s related to something you loved doing or dreamed of doing when you were younger. It can also be something new but it feels familiar, like an old friend. It gives you a sense of freedom. It fills your lungs with air and energy. It feels right.
If you don’t know what your dream is or if you stress about finding it just let it come to you. It will. You know it when it has arrived. It will keep nagging you until you do something about it.
Now pursuing your dream and making a living on it is another topic. We’ll cover that in a future blog post.
Are you still wondering what your dream or calling is? Or have you found it?
Camilla,
I like this perspective. What is it that won’t leave me alone? More to chew on for me. Great way for me to start the week.
Eric recently posted…Scratching Your Creative Itch
I was fortunate to find my calling fairly early but it wasn’t until I recovered from cancer that I really took the leap into it. I always wanted to teach, but wasn’t sure how to get there. One of my professors encouraged me to get a PhD, but that wasn’t for me.
I started an accounting firm with a focus on educating business owners and individuals. Later, I started teaching as an adjunct at a local university. Six years later, I am teaching full-time, still educating through my accounting firm, and have started a website and YouTube channel to educate accounting students all over the world.
The one thing to consider is that going the traditional route is not the only route to go. I was told I must get a PhD to do what I am doing. It took work, but I have been teaching full-time for five years now.
Kristin recently posted…Early morning rambles: Dirty Dishes, Debt Progress, Space Heaters, and why I love Amazon
I love that you took the leap and found a way outside the traditional route. There is always a way. Great inspiration for others that are told the only way to go is choosing option A. There’s a whole alphabet of options such as B-Z. When one option doesn’t work, try next and so on. Eventually you’ll find a way through. I’m so glad you recovered from cancer not only because it pushed you to take the leap but also allow you to continue making a positive impact on the world.
You’d think after almost being on this earth for 50 years I would have found out what I want to do….. Well I didi what I wanted to do for 20 of those years. But now I’m ready to make a bigger difference then I did in the Navy.
I know what I want to do I just need to DO IT!!!
Thanks for this great post!!
Steve Tessler recently posted…#29 Muster up!
This is a great reminder to open our eyes and be aware of those things that nag at us and that we brush away without thinking much of it. If I took a few minutes to examine those things, it just may lead to something bigger. I really like the way you described the boomerang effect, or coming full circle to something that deep down was always there. Thank you for this and for sharing your personal experiences too!
Life gets busy and it’s easy to ignore those things that nag us. But eventually it nags us so much it keeps us up at night. There’s no way to avoid it. Well, there is but eventually the pain of not looking into it pushes you to do it. Personally I think photography is boomeranging it’s way back in my life. I’m pursuing it as a hobby right now but if I’m honest with myself I probably can’t continue doing that for much longer. It’s nagging me to do more. Keep dreaming! That boomerang will hit you hard enough when you are ready.
Wow. I’ve heard this said other ways but I fully agree. What thing did you do your entire life? What thing can you Not NOT do? What thing is it that comes so easy to you but amazes other people that you do it well? These things are all likely related to your gift and calling. I also love the idea that a calling is something CALLED out of your being not something that is external. The way I’ve explained to some folks about my calling is “it makes my brain itch”. But so many are just existing not living. I love that your mission is trying to help others live. Keep it up.
Scott recently posted…Worry…. A Thief in the Night.
Thanks Scott! You’re on a mission to help others live too and I love how you are pursuing your calling and teaching others what stewardship truly means. I really like the “It makes my brain itch” – that’s a great way to put it. And yes, what is it that I cannot NOT do? Great stuff.
I’ve been a storyteller for years. Having moved around my whole life I’ve always had to recap my experiences to new friends. Who knew that it would turn into a blog and that people would read it. Ready for the next step. Great post!
Thanks David! I’m glad your friends kept asking you to recap. Your story is remarkable and shows you that every person has a story that others want to hear. Can’t wait to see you put all that into a book soon.
Awesome post, thank you Camilla. It’s such a shame when people go right through their life without even stopping to look for their true purpose, don’t you think?
There is a 3-day method for finding your true life purpose on my site that has got great feedback, if anyone is interested you can see it here:
http://www.wingstosuccess.com/purpose/
Thanks again.
Rick Siderfin recently posted…How To Use Lessons From The Past To Profit From The Future
Thanks Rick! It is a shame and I’m glad you are working on helping people too! I’ll have to check out your method. Thanks for sharing. I’m a constant learner so always reading and learning.