It’s astonishing to me that nine years after leaving my office job in London to find out who I was and whether, as my intuition was strongly suggesting, there was more to life than working to survive, I still occasionally find myself feeling a little bit naughty for following the path of my heart and stepping ever more fully into doing what I love.
That just goes to show how deeply embedded the cultural conditioning and beliefs are that it’s unreasonable and unrealistic to expect that the work you do over the course of your life can be something that doesn’t feel like work at all but rather a path of joyful service.
It’s astonishing to me that nine years after starting my first blog, at a time when I was coming across lots of other blogs about finding and following your passion(s) and meeting all sorts of people who had either already exited the ‘reasonable and realistic’ world, or who were on the verge of doing so, that it is still very much not the norm for people to be encouraged to find the path in life that is true to their own hearts.
It’s astonishing to me that I should, and that anyone should, still feel like they’re doing something naughty, wrong, bad, rebellious, even lazy, by stepping out of work that completely drains them of energy and pursuing that which energises and uplifts their soul.
And you know what happens when you feel like you’re being a little bit naughty, like a five-year old sneaking an ice-cream from the freezer for breakfast whilst mum’s not looking? Well, you eat the ice-cream, but you eat it as quickly as possible, all the while nervously looking over your shoulder to see if mum’s coming to find you out!
So as far as work’s concerned, if you’re following the path of your heart, having stepped out of our society’s rather strange idea of what’s normal, but still feeling that you’re not really allowed to be doing what you’re doing, it’s hard to totally, fully, completely step into your true path because you’re always looking over you shoulder expecting someone to be coming to get you and give you a good spanking for daring to do that most terrible and evil of things…work you love!
Doing what you love is not naughty, selfish, wrong, bad, lazy or any other negative word you might come up with and I hope that one day this very idea will seem ludicrous to us all.
Doing what we love is natural. But like so many elements of our lives in this modern time, we have strayed a long way indeed from all that is natural. We can’t expect to create a more peaceful, just, loving, harmonious, beautiful world by continuing to forcibly and unhappily squeeze ourselves into the systems that have created the issues we have today.
As we remember and return to the natural ways of life, including shining our light through doing what is joyous to us, we revive our own souls and in so doing, play our part in reviving our suffering world.
Now, did someone say something about ice-cream?!
Love and courage,
Leah
Dear Leah, I completely resonate with your perspective from a long time ago, I think maybe even from when you’ve started your first blog after quitting the job. And over the years, here’s to what I’ve come – yes, it is not naughty at all doing what you love, if you already know what it is and if it is sustainable in providing existential needs. But,…for most of us, the road to finding out what is your true calling and making it a source of income is arduous, long, curvy and so uncertain that I would suggest that any job that provides security is needed whilst in the search for the one that feels right, taking it as a base, as a place of encouragement for doing something you love in the spare time or to make time for it in your daily schedule. In that way you take responsibility for your choices and take care of your growth in consciousness wisely respecting the deeply rooted need for security, and that is completely ok. As well as it is ok to to see it from yours or any other perspective that is different, and depends of the experience of each one. The important thing is to cultivate conscious approach to everything and be truthful to yourself.
Much love to you.
Olivera
Hello Olivera! How lovely to hear from you. I hope you’re very well. Yes, as you say, for me, the heart of the matter and the heart of my message has always been to know that there is no single correct way to ‘do life’ and that is why it is so important to cultivate a loving and trusting relationship with your own heart and intuition so that you can more confidently move in the direction that is true to you, in the way that is true to you. Lots of love to you too. xx
Aw Leah! As ever, your themes come at just the right time for me!
I am in a very strange period of time in my life at the moment with lots of unknowns – I’m back living with my dad in my old childhood home and my partner and I are having a trial separation. I’ve just handed in my notice at the job I’ve been in on and off for 10 years and went back to study last year for the first time in a long time. It feels like a big limbo period and it can be easy to slip into overwhelm or catastrophising if I let my mind go there, though I am also putting a lot of focus on gratitude for all that is around me, staying present as much as I can and being gentle with myself, and I’m experiencing the absolute magic and synchronicity that happens when you’re living in alignment with your Self and your heart and soul.
I’m really consciously going through a process of evaluating what is in my world – what I do and don’t want and need – and creating a life I love. This next step for me, which is bringing up all sorts of insecurities, is setting up my own business as a massage and reiki practitioner and selling my natural skincare products – a vision I’ve had for so long that now I’m standing on the precipice of feels terrifying! I’m also writing so much at the moment and pondering if I can bring in some income through that in some way. It’s all DEFINITELY bringing up all these thoughts you’ve mentioned about it ‘being too good to be true’ to make money doing what I love! That conditioning is so very strong!
As ever, I’m so grateful for your bursts of love and light in my inbox!
Much love to you, kindred spirit! 🙂 x
Oh, Catriona, lots of courageous changes in your life going on at the moment. I really honour you for you making the changes and taking the risks that feel right for you and for following whatever feels true within you. I know the overwhelm and catastrophising only too well but I love your focus on gratitude, presence and being gentle with yourself.
I’m also intimately familiar with the insecurities that starting your own business can bring. We are so terrible to ourselves. We have a vision for bringing something beautiful and useful into the world and then shower ourselves with all sorts of insecurity. And by the way, if we lived closer, I would definitely come to you for massage and reiki sessions. And also – massage, reiki, any of these beautiful therapies – are such a huge gift in so many ways. Please do not underestimate yourself or what you are going to be bringing to others.
Always good to hear from your Catriona! Sending lots of love and all the encouragement you need for your next steps. xx
I loved this! All of this! While I’m probably quite a bit older than you(in my 50’s) I can totally relate to people simply not understanding your chosen life’s path. My husband and I have chosen a very simple life, on a small farm. We left the “rat race” of society in 2000. We haven’t looked back. We love our simple and sustainable life. It really doesn’t matter if others understand it or accept it! It’s YOUR life and you are the one that needs to be happy with it! Keep on keeping on!
Kristy
Hello Kristy! The simple life you and your husband have chosen on your farm sounds so beautiful! The more examples we have of people following their own life path the better for all of us. Like you say, if it is true to you, it doesn’t matter what other people make of it!