The "True Calling"

These days it seems like we are way too privileged when it comes to careers. Years ago, times were tougher - when you left school, you had to get out and get a job so you could earn enough to get by, or if you were really clever and your parents were willing to help out, you could maybe go to university and get a degree.

Today most of us automatically take the University track, even if we're not that clever, because it seems more and more jobs are requiring a degree and hey, who can say no to another three or four years of studying and living at home? Meanwhile, there are so many stores selling things that need young people to work in them. So getting a job is a piece of cake.

Lately I've noticed that it's gone one step further. SO many of my talented, tertiary educated friends have realised that their chosen field is not for them. They're going to study AGAIN. And not just postgraduate degrees - entirely new and different undergraduate disciplines.

I'm not criticising these friends, in fact it's quite the opposite. I'm one of them. I'm worse. I started a Communications degree right out of school, and dropped out in my third year (yes, I was nearly finished) to take some time off before starting my Education degree. Once I finished that, I taught for a little while before realising that too may not have been what I wanted to do...at which time I got pregnant and life worked itself out for a while.

Now I have a nearly two year old. I'd always thought that my "true calling" was to be a mother, and now I am one. It makes me SO happy and I'm pretty good at it (hear that horn I'm tooting?). I want more kids, but not too many as I know there are just way too many out there. Focusing all your energy on one child is just so not healthy, least of all for the child, so for now, I need something more.

I've recently been working on starting my own business. I have a pretty solid idea and have been looking at how to make it happen. Then I stumbled upon this article on Startup Nation, which encourages you to write a Life Plan before embarking on any kind of business plan.

I found this to be SO enlightening. When I sat down and looked at what I'm good at, what makes me happy and what kind of life I want to live, I immediately had to question my decision to start a business. My husband already runs a pretty successful business and it takes up SO MUCH of our lives. It is so stressful and often makes us very unhappy, despite it allowing us to live relatively stress-free financially. I had to wonder why I wanted to double that load.

As I've gone on this journey, I've read around a bit. I just read this article on Mind Body Green, which explains ten ways to discover your true calling. It made some sound points, but what really stuck with me was point six: Pay Attention To What Keeps Coming Back.

For me, it's kids. It has ALWAYS been kids. When I wanted to be a journalist, I wanted to write a children's book. I changed to teaching because I wanted to be more involved with kids. I had a kid. I decided I wanted to start a kids business. I have a genuine and persistent passion for children that it seems can't be quelled simply by having some of my own.

Anyway, I don't know if any of this has uncovered a "true calling" or if there even is such a thing. Perhaps many of us have many callings, each of which are true and right at different stages of our lives. But the entire exercise has at least given me a better idea of where to look for mine.

Have you found your true calling yet, or are you still looking?

Z xx