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I feel it as I enter my 30s—the air around me turning thicker, a molasses of trials I’ve faced so far in life and not yet overcome.
Life feels more challenging in some ways, like it is asking me to level up. (Maybe this happens every decade?) And in response, I feel myself contemplating how much nicer the path of less resistance sounds than it used to.
Settling into a good-enough job and a good-enough relationship and just riding things out—that’s never sounded as good to me as it does these days, when even just reading the news can feel like I’m back in middle school gym, getting five dodgeballs to the face.
Why continue to step into the unknown? As a creative entrepreneur, I’ve given a lot up (at least for now)—a steady paycheck, stable structure provided by higher-ups on the company ladder, a team of coworkers striving toward a goal with me. Why do this—especially since it’s so far out of my comfort zone?
If we were to jump back 2000 years (or pick up a copy of Meditations, considered by generations to be one of the greatest works of all time), Roman emperor and philosopher Marcus Aurelius would have something to say about settling.
”Everything, a horse, a vine, is created for some duty. For what task, then, were you yourself created? A man’s true delight is to do the things he was made for.” - Marcus Aurelius
When we don’t often feel delight, we can feel stuck about how to move forward. How are we supposed to know what we are made for??
For a few years, after burning out working too hard at a nonprofit, I thought my life’s delight and purpose was to rest and just be at leisure—not to do much of anything!
Rest is vital. But alone, it was nowhere near enough. I realized that one of the fundamental aspects of being human is our twofold desire to do what we truly love doing, and for what we do to make a difference in others’ lives.
And I realized that when our life isn’t one that regularly brings us delight, taking steps into the unknown—trying things out, taking risks (even small ones)—is the only way we get closer to it.
Everyone’s path is different. But I think we all go through moments of wondering if a chance at delight is really worth the effort. It can feel deeply vulnerable, but every step I’ve taken has taught me something about myself and made me feel a little bit more empowered. I feel myself growing into the person I want to be. And when someone is impacted by what I am doing, it feels amazing—because they are seeing the real me.
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Main point: We get to pursue things that bring us delight—and, although this can challenge us, it also enables us to feel more powerful and deeply align with who we really are.
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Working on creative goals of your own and want someone to listen, encourage you or hold you accountable? Book a free 30-min conversation with me and let’s talk more!
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My goal with this weekly newsletter
is to make you think and leave you feeling a little more at ease or
excited about life. For more about
me—click here!
Thanks for reading,
Alisha
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