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Finding My Purpose
I have really fallen into exactly what I need to be doing. My purpose for now. I feel like this one is much more likely to stay than previous incarnations have done. I have done multiple things, some that I still do to some extent. For about 20 years I was an herbalist, which I loved and yet which came to me more because of need than because of calling.
The necessity of odd jobs
I have worked at a number of jobs. Fast food, waitressing, convenience store, safety crew for a paving company, owned my own business a couple of different times. All of these jobs helped me grow and learn. For instance, the construction job helped me understand how pervasive sexual harassment is in that industry as well as how very protected it is, almost an institution of its own within the industry itself.
Waiting tables gave me an understanding of customer service that none of the other jobs had up to that point while granting me a financial stability that I had only dreamed of previously. Working at the convenience store taught me that I had to watch my back because thieves had no problems stealing and framing someone else. The fast-food jobs taught me that minimum wage did not mean minimum work. It meant back-breaking labor for very little pay and zero benefits.
Back to School
I eventually realized that herbal medicine was not what I wanted to do anymore. My daughters were all grown and I was done having that as a major part of my life. I think it would be fair to say that I was more than a little burnt out on it. I use my skills mostly for myself now. I give advice to a few old customers that are friends as well. My youngest child was pretty grown so I was figuring out what new opportunity I was going to take when I got a call from a college I had attended but was missing two classes to graduate with my AA degree. They wanted me to come finish and would pay for the classes.
I jumped on it so fast my head spun a little. I started those last two classes in the spring of 2017. By the fall of 2019, I had acquired an AA degree, a Bachelor's degree, and a Master's degree.
I do tend to run with things once I start them.
*That was a lot to do, and I moved a few times during all that. Don't do it that way, be easier and gentler on yourself. It really feels much nicer not to push yourself to do this as quickly as possible. IT WAS BANANAS OF ME TO DO THAT. DON'T DO THAT.
Finding my purpose
Long before I started my novel I was beginning to think about writing a book. Because I was whipping out tons of papers and getting pretty stellar grades on them while I was at it. I started thinking, if I can write all these papers then why couldn't I finally finish one of those books that I have been creating in my head forever? I have talked in a couple of previous posts (this one and part two over here) about the pitfalls I ran into as I started that first book. Now, I am definitely still a beginner, I have one novel to my name. But there is nothing that feels quite so right as writing the stories in my head. It makes me happy in ways that no one wants to listen to me waxing poetic about. Again.
This is what I am going to do for my foreseeable future and I am thrilled.
Moral of the Story
Try new things. Move with the flow of your life. If you are absolutely miserable, start looking for the change. That new opportunity. Make your own new opportunity if you need to, just really listen to your intuition and keep it balanced with your needs for maintaining a life.