Is it possible?
Have you ever heard someone make this comment about their job? Normally the next thing we wonder is ‘wow, what do they do, I want their job’! The interesting thing I find is that it isn’t normally the job that makes it so great, it’s actually the person’s attitude to want to do the job; they really love being there. So what makes this happen?
I recently read an article called “Follow your Bliss”, (written by Ana Davis) which inspired people to find their ‘dharma’ or simply ‘their calling’ or ‘bliss’. What life’s purpose are we actually here for? Now it’s not as easy as finding a book, looking up your name and seeing what’s been listed as your life’s purpose, but finding it could take you on a journey where your ‘bliss’ is waiting for you; you just need to recognise it. Davis offers some tips if you are willing to take that journey.
You may be wondering whether you have already found your ‘bliss’, how do you know? Davis suggests asking yourself “what is it I’m passionate about?” She continues on by suggesting you “look at activities that give you joy and elicit a feeling of ease and flow”. To find your ‘bliss’ you may need to “let go of social pressures and expectations, your ‘bliss’ doesn’t have to be something magnificent, life changing or well known”. Davis suggests “your ‘bliss’ could be to be a really great gardener, to have a green thumb”. “The main this is that the activity excites and inspires you, you’ll know you’re on the right track when success in this activity starts to flow to you, as you apply yourself whole heartedly over time”.
Davis continues on with “another clue that you’re following your path is an overriding quality of being rather than doing. When you’re engaged in the activity that is your passion, it’s said that you may experience the sensation of time standing still, of being in the zone”.
So you are thinking, ‘yes I know what excites me, now what’. Davis suggests “once you’ve isolated what it is you love to do and you embark on that path with clear intention, is that obstacles seem to fade away, your life becomes much smoother. If you love the thing, it follows that you become good at it and then people will notice. Once you are doing what you should be doing, opportunities will arise, it is then up to you whether you take advantage of these opportunities”.
For those of you thinking ‘I’m doing my bliss, but I don’t seem to be feeling it’. Davis encourages us not to get too carried away. “It pays to be aware that success in your chosen life’s work may take time. If you are indeed carrying out your calling, you’ll find that you have the necessary faith to stay on track through some hard times. Once you’ve found your ‘bliss’ there is no time frame, move towards it but don’t stop doing it. You have got to be able to trust if you follow through and keep going with it, that there’s going to be a good outcome”.
It must be said that I’m not calling for us to all throw in our jobs and head off on these journeys. Davis warns “that the rational mind needs to come back in to play in the implementation of a practical plan to help you fulfill this life’s purpose. Do your research about your chosen field, and go slowly, patiently and with intelligence. This is a good time to pick the brains of people who already work in your chosen area and to seek feedback from a trusted friend or career counsellor”.
Some other tips Davis shares is to “take advantage of social and professional networks and remember that your ‘bliss’ needs to unfold at the right pace for you and your circumstances. Often, practicing your ‘bliss’ as a hobby takes the pressure and potential failure away from trying to make your entire living from it”.
It is probably now that I should take you back to the beginning and remind you that this article started with questioning if you love your job. Finding your ‘bliss’ may not mean you’ve found financial success, Davis reminds us that “it only means that when you are doing it, you’re in tune with your life’s purpose”.
So what does all this mean??? Next time you meet someone who says they love their job, listen to them talk about it, watch how easily they talk about it, watch how the passion comes through, ask them not what their job is, rather ask them how they came about doing their job, that may be the starting point to finding your ‘bliss’.
Here’s a checklist to help find your “bliss”, as suggested by Ana Davis.
- “Be still and listen”, question yourself and listen to what your mind is telling you
- “Get in touch with your longing”, what activity is that you love to do, think about, read about, talk about?
- “Eliminate the things that make you unhappy”, “many people discover their purpose through a process of elimination”, “Do something because it gives you joy, not just because it’s perceived to be the right thing to do”.
- “Do it because you’ve just gotta do it”, what do you love to do that you would do without financial reward?
- “Find a spiritual friend”, “seek out the feedback of an objective friend or mentor who understands your search for your ‘bliss’”
- “Join with like minded friends, spend time with your community in order to gather information, and to receive inspiration and support”.
Parts of this comment are taken from “Follow your Bliss” story by Ana Davis, Well Being magazine, Issue 121.
Sharon Kilmartin
Learning Facilitator
Insight International Consultancy
