How Do You Respond When Asked: “Who Are You?”
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”—Confucius
What fuels your spirit? What are you most passionate about? In following your passion, you not only serve others, you serve yourself. By aligning with your authentic nature you explore your gifts, talents and wisdom. This is the foundation to awakening the authentic self: being in alignment with universal intention. A useful metaphor to illustrate this point is seen in nature’s design through a snowflake viewed under a microscope. The intricate fractal design comprised of symmetrical structures reveals the shimmering wonder that lies beneath. I invite you to model your thinking on nature’s inherent wisdom since you are an expression of her inspired brilliance.
Sadly, most people never experience the joy of becoming their best since they fail to acknowledge their genius. They believe they are undeserving of such gifts. To highlight the misleading basis of this belief, consider snowflakes refusing to fall in winter because they are inferior to other snowflakes, much more brilliant in design. The analogy though simple, illustrates that your bliss is symbolic of your personal story. It is the reason you are alive at this point in the Earth’s history. I am not inviting you to believe in reincarnation or otherwise, simply that you recognise your presence serves a purpose in the grand scheme of things. “Each exists for but a short time, and in that time explore but a small part of the whole universe,” states Stephen Hawking in his epic book, The Grand Design.
Have you been to the ballet and observed dancers gracefully move on stage as though floating on thin air? Audiences are captivated by their poise and the ethereal state in which they effortlessly glide through a performance. From the dancer’s viewpoint, they are in reverie: a state of Flow as psychology professor Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi noted. They are present, grounded and in sync with their repertoire. If you were to ask a dancer why they perform, they tell you that dancing is a way of life, emanating from their inner being. Dance is the performance art in which they express their soul. It is their passion and purpose that gives meaning to their life. It’s not something they do, it’s who they are. A dancer does not refer to their performance as something they enjoy, for such a description is much too passive. They inform you I am a dancer, choosing to embody it at a deeper level. Consider a similar standpoint in your life. Are you happy with the idea that following your bliss is possible when you let go of accuses?
For example, how do you respond when asked: “Who are you?” Do you identify with your work, your marital status or ethnicity? Do not associate with your skills or passion alone since these are fleeting states. Many people have multiple careers throughout their lifetime, so to equate with them all is misleading. So, what is your bliss? Your bliss is what you are willing to chase irrespective of financial gain. You cannot wait to engage in your passion after waking up each morning since you are entirely consumed by it. Your friends and loved ones notice how much time you devote being absorbed in this pursuit. You are oblivious to time, a quality particular to being in Flow. It feels as though you are caught in a black hole as time passes.
You Are Never Too Old, Unqualified, Or Lacking In Talent
“Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love.”—Rumi
Your bliss may represent your calling. If you find joy conveying happiness and fulfilment to others, your bliss is a blessing. Artists and creative people experience this enthusiasm when undertaking their vocation. The hours are long, with sacrifices along the way to gain mastery. However, the rewards are clear when one retires at the end of a working week to realise they haven’t actually worked; they have engaged in purposeful play. It is an uncontained ambition that no undertaking is too big, given that time is always available to pursue your passion. When you follow your bliss, the path reveals itself. Obstacles which impede your success gradually fall away. The right people show up to help you advance ahead. It’s not that life lacks challenges, they appear nevertheless to serve you and not obstruct you.
The ideal circumstances transpire when you’re in alignment with universal intelligence and the creative force of the universe. Take a moment to consider friends or loved ones in jobs, relationships or circumstances they dislike. Reflect on the energy they spend caught up in circumstances that do not serve them. They are consumed by their life-force; forlorn and exhausted. It is echoed in their words and reflected in their body language. Don’t become that person. Yes, many have obligations to their families or business, yet they chose the path. Some opted not to pursue their bliss for various reasons and yet those same people criticise others who set out to follow theirs. They support the erroneous belief it is impossible to follow your bliss.
In contrast, consider those people joyfully pursuing their bliss. I venture to say despite the obvious challenges, they carve out a unique place in the world. Challenges and obstacles are part of the journey, they illuminate the path to success and none are immune to it. Make a steadfast declaration on what you seek to attain in this life. If you’re following your bliss, I wish you continued success and joy. If you’re not there yet, I hope this article ignites a deep desire to take inspired action. You are never too old, unqualified, set in your ways, lacking talent or whatever justification your ego uses to convince you otherwise. I leave you with a quote from Stephen Pressfield’s acclaimed book The War of Art in which he writes: “Our job in this life is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it.”
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Tony Fahkry
Expert Life Coach