After I got my second degree (my first was a BA in English and then a MA in Counseling Psychology), I reached an inevitable confusion spurred from a lifetime of being a professional student. It was 2006 and I had suddenly wakened from my reverie.
I spent most of my twenties sitting down in the career section of Borders thumbing through guides with titles like, What to Do With Your Life. And now that school was over and my pocketbook showed no chance of going back, I realized it was time to finally answer that question for myself.
In 2007, after a decade of shopping around for the “perfect job, “ I made a commitment to return to a past dream. I put away my assistant hat (there would be no more research assistant, administrative assistant positions for me) and said goodbye to the random ways I chose jobs. That meant no more chance encounters with exciting positions either like the time I worked as a private investigator.
I was ready to pursue my life-long dream of being a writer. Writing had always been a part of my life, whether I was filling the now full ten diaries I had as a child, typing faux news articles on my plastic typewriter or writing poetry something I started doing when I was 7 and then had published in Blue Mountain Arts when I was 27. For a few years, I worked as a copywriter for various online retailers, newspapers and magazines. Last year, I got a job as an associate editor for Psych Central, a position that allowed me to connect my past two degrees.
But what surprised me most about my venture to find my passion and pursue my dreams is the journey that took me there is what inspires me most and what I am most passionate about. And as a result, I created The Inspiring Bee out of pure selfishness. Because I had been on that difficult road to follow my own dreams, I had a profound passion and compassion for those who were struggling to find and pursue theirs. I had a strong belief that everyone had a purpose and fulfilling it would not only make him or her happier, but that the world would be a much better and happier place.
Interestingly enough, I found it serendipitous that once I began to separate myself from the crowd of writers online, my opportunities grew. My husband saw a documentary, for example, on people who were living their dreams. It was so moving to me that I contacted the production company who did the film. I was able to interview Bonnie St. John, an Olympian and an author who had an inspiring story to tell of her life.
Everyone wants to find their purpose, to know that their unique experiences and talents have a reason and a place in this world. I know now that there may not be one dream, but that there are many dreams to pursue like streams in the big river of life. The reason I am so passionate about writing blog posts, connecting with blog readers and continuing to pursue projects that fulfill this purpose is that I have personal experience walking the walk. I grew up in a family who were mainstreamers, working in conventional careers and I stepped away from what was considered normal and took a chance. While the road is bumpy, I learned that sticking to what I am most passionate about is my purpose. If I can use my life and experiences to help others who are going through the same thing and if I can continue to follow the beat of my own drum, then I know for sure I am fulfilling my purpose. And I definitely know that I’m on the right path.
