Follow Your Bliss
Joseph Campbell coined the phrase..Follow your Bliss-I still remember the first time I heard that – it definitely resonated but I had no idea what it meant. I was blessed with an interesting and diverse career path – from sales and management to cellular technology and development- to personal development in the creative field – to non-profit work with the dis-enfranchised. I thought one of those must be my bliss -or maybe I thought if I worked hard enough the bliss would come. I did love much of my work – but it was mostly the people – and the ideas that really gave me the greatest juice.
Recently I started examining joy from a much closer perspective…like what ignites the joy that is already within me and I found that to be a much different question than trying to follow something somewhere. Two things came immediately to mind – the first was reading. I learned to read at age 4 -having a grown sister who was already an educator – and I have loved it every minute of every day ever since. I read on average 3-5 books every week – from mysteries and epics to spiritual education and moving memoirs. It never occurred to me that by doing what I love so much and watching how it works in my life, might actually be something I want to expand from and create with.
The next thing that came to mind was writing – this blog is rounding third base and I look forward to the inspirational idea of the week or the month – I have managed to sidestep the critical voice of good writing or not good writing and go for the gusto instead. It reminds me of how much my life has been informed and transformed by the written word.
I wonder if you, my dear readers, know what you love and do it daily ..or if your time is parceled out between obligation and “shoulds.” We can enjoy both our obligations and our shoulds, but that is not what I mean…I don’t mean that the things we do-do not contain aspects of our true self fully expressed…but I am suggesting that we don’t do what we love nearly enough.
First, sit with a journal and really ask yourself that question- seeking for where the most joy shows up without effort or concentration…its just so totally you being you….next see how much time you actually give to it – and finally make a decision about bringing more of that into your life.
This week I am exploring how to read and write and expand that into action – website – sharing – and anything else that comes to mind. Stay tuned- I will share what is created from the Love.
