My Calling

  

 

 

    Having things come naturally is a good thing, right? 

    It's nice to try something new and be pretty decent at it on the first try. It's fun to be able to do many things fairly well. The trouble comes when you have to focus and choose one thing. 

I've been a McDonald's manager, radio DJ, a nanny in France, a driver's ed teacher, legal assistant, cake baker/decorator, and audiobook narrator/producer. And I've done well at them all. Heck, I've even been a beauty queen.

    

    So the question for me is less about what am I good at and more about what do I really want to do. 

    

    I read a lot of information this week, but the advice I can't get out of my mind is to choose something that you're not only naturally good at, but "one where you lose track of the hours spent in it, and one where you would practice for the sake of practice alone." - Living Life as an Entrepreneurial Hero by Jeff Sandefer

    I have three children whom I home school, I'm taking college classes, I'm the Young Women's President at church, I do cakes and audiobooks, I have a husband, friends, and extended family, a house and - sometimes - hobbies. My time and attention are divided by countless things, but if I really want to do something I can make time. So what are those things I'll carve out time for? And what can I do and not notice the passing of time? I'm still not sure, but now I'm paying attention. 

    

    I can sit and talk for hours on end, which certainly helped in radio and now in audiobook narration, but is that what I really want to do? I prefer conversation to my one-sided narration. When I'm in my studio I often find myself talking too fast because I'm trying to just get it done. However, when I have a great story that I really want to tell I slow down and enjoy myself immensely. 

    I still don't know exactly what I love, but I'm excited to find out. I'm excited to be more intentional about my life and aware of myself in it. Too many days I feel like a passenger, but I'm anxious to start driving!

Lesson learned: Pay attention to my feelings in each activity I do to find where my passion really lies.

Lesson not yet learned: What is my passion?