“Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love.” ~Rumi

So, if PURPOSE is the why and CALLING is the what, then WHAT DO YOU DO NOW?

As a coach, I’m interested in helping you TAKE ACTION. But I don’t want to encourage you to just be busy. Your next action comes from your purpose and calling.

Here are some questions to get you started:

What is important to you?

What do you value?

What do you love to do?

What would you do for free?

What are you drawn to that others are offering? (What classes do you sign up for, what accounts do you follow on social media, who do you listen to on podcasts, what books do you read?)

What do you choose to do when you have free time?

When you feel most at ease, or “in the flow”, what are you doing?

Here are some steps you can take to get you in the frame of mind to consider your calling:

1. Prioritize quiet time. Turn off all distractions. You don’t have to just sit there! Try walking without headphones or taking a bath without a book and without your phone. Running without music or driving with the radio off. Practice your own yoga by yourself in the backyard on the grass in the quiet. Swim laps. For me, movement brings inspiration. You may like to sit still and that’s fine. Find a way to be in the quiet.
2. Let your mind wander. Don’t direct your thoughts. Don’t judge your thoughts. Don’t push thoughts away or try to control your thoughts. Let them come. Welcome them. Notice.
3. Pay attention to what keeps coming back. Does something or someone need your attention now? Do you keep having thoughts that you should do something but you keep putting it off and those thoughts come back again and again? Do you feel drawn to certain activities? Did you love that poet so much you find yourself ordering all his books? Are you drawn back to certain topics again and again? Do you find yourself stealing time away to draw or paint or create? Do you feel energized by a certain current event? Do you feel excited when you think about a particular cause? Have you discovered something that has changed your life? Have you had an experience or gained wisdom that you feel the urge to share with others? Go where the energy leads. Trust that this is not random.
4. Make time for creativity. Let yourself create for fun. Just for you. Don’t think about anyone else’s reaction to what you create, just let it flow. Do what you want. You have permission to make space and time to just play. This can be dancing, writing, singing, song writing, play writing, screenplay writing, sewing, graphic design, landscaping, gardening, cooking, baking, speaking, writing poetry, creating lesson plans, photography, dreaming of a better way to do something, teaching, designing fashion, playing with make up, practicing sports, thinking of ways to make a difference in politics, setting a beautiful table, inviting people to gather, wrapping gifts, curating resources. There is no way I can come up with a complete list because you have something in you that is waiting to come out. Let it.

I want to say something here. I don’t think it’s a great idea to aggressively pursue “discovering a calling” like it’s something you need to dig up and create. It will come to you. If you are connected with God and you create space for the things above, it will show up. There will be stirrings. When we aggressively pursue things with a spirit of striving and white knuckling, it’s futile. The point of this is to get into the flow. To allow things to come to you. To get out of the push, push, push of the world so you can hear God’s voice and feel your own heartbeat.

And another thing. I don’t encourage you to bake or garden because I think baking or gardening is your calling, although it may be and that would be amazing! I encourage you to make time for creativity because in that time that you are baking or gardening, or dancing or drawing, your mind is set free from trying to figure all of your life out. You can have fun, your body can relax because you are engaged in an activity that isn’t for public consumption and you are not concerned about selling or convincing or proving anything. You will feel alive again.

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

― Howard Thurman

Practicing these things will not allow you to plan out your future this afternoon. It’s a process. You may already have an inkling about your calling. You may be circling around it, afraid to pursue it whole heartedly. That’s okay for now. Like I said, it’s a process. You won’t know exactly what the future will look like, but you will feel what your next step should be.

My prayer is that this practice makes you come alive and get excited about life and your future. It’s not too late to be yourself. It’s never too late to say YES to God’s calling on your life. Trust His divine plan. You are right on time.