Inspiration Tuesday

Livelihood: a means of supporting the necessities of life. Some origins state way of life or course of life. But what does that mean? This happens to extend from last week's question on how to balance the things we need to do to survive in our current world versus the way in which we want it to be - because, well, clearly it is on my mind and I find that things related to this naturally stand out to me.

I saw this morning through social media that a friend from a previous life had started reading a book entitled "Finding Livelihood." It sounded interesting to me so I did a quick google and listened to an interview with the author (who happens to be this individual's mother in law) while I got ready for my day. I didn't get through much, but it seems to me at least one of the ideas is around accepting and embracing where you are.

"There may be more of us that need to make peace with staying on a path than there are those who should step away to something new... Staying in place is a pilgrimage, too... You must first find out who you are in order to find work you love."

This idea around discovering what you love as you travel through life - not choosing and then doing (although sometimes that is the path, too). Not knowing as a college senior who you will be in 20 years, but finding out what you love by finding out what you don't love and inevitably getting wounded along the way. Keep looking - stay intentional about learning and discovering, about being aware of what you love and what disappoints you.

I can't help but be reminded of this initiative, this mission we have at my place of work to find and add purpose to our day to day work life. We have committed ourselves to the idea that working with purpose adds more value to our lives and ultimately to our clients and communities and anyone around us. Perhaps I am too reflective, but it seems to me that living with purpose requires one to be in a certain state of mind - while having purpose can be a product of your circumstance. One can have a purpose [or should I say, be given one], but still not live with purpose - if the purpose before them does not connect with them. Everyone needs to find their own. For a long time I thought I struggled with showing other people their work mattered because - how can you force that upon anyone? I'm afraid that this process has shown me that perhaps it's me who does not find real purpose in my work. How can you earnestly convey something you are not sure of?

This got me to thinking about living with purpose where you are, because you embrace where you are and the path you are on right now - not because you are sure you have arrived to a place that fully speaks to you. Do you ever really, anyway? How much am I learning about myself, about the things I believe in, about the things that disappoint me and the ways I want my life to be? And more importantly, am I not earning myself a place in this world? Should I not strive to earn a title of one who is patient, deliberate, and understanding? I want my life to be full of these things.

In the words of Virginia Woolf: Arrange whatever pieces come your way.