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Have you ever felt like you don't fit into the world's mold? Excel in public school, succeed in college, get a 9 to 5 job and work until you retire.
Yeah... that doesn't work for everyone. If it does, great! But this post is for the people who have always felt like they were meant for something different, something more, something unique.
Maybe you've been labeled - gifted, learning disability, attention disorder, behavior problems, lacks drive. Don't listen to what the world says about you. Don't let it define you. You can be anything you want to be. You can be more than they, or you, dream possible!
In the book Dark Horse, the authors go into great depth on the standardization of our world and how it doesn't allow for free thinking, individual expression, creativity, and the pursuit of fulfillment. And then they spotlight many examples of people who have "risen above their station", so to speak, and made a fulfilling career unique to them. I highly recommend this book!
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A bit of my own story:
I did well in public school when I was young, but suffered terrible stomach aches. When I got into middle school they only got worse, and I also wasn't enjoying some aspects of public schooling. We had friends that homeschooled, and I asked my mom if we could do that. Amazingly, I have an awesome mom who said yes! The next year, she started homeschooling me, and wow, did it make a difference! Less stomach aches, less stress about school, I could learn in ways that spoke to me.
Fast forward to the teen years and early adulthood, and I was out in the working world, in a variety of retail jobs, and getting a lot of those stomach aches again. I've also always struggled to be on a schedule, especially if it includes early morning starts. So there was a lot of stress, even though I didn't identify it at the time.
After getting married, I struggled to even find and keep a job. My husband had a steady job but I felt bad that I wasn't able to contribute. I knew typical jobs didn't work for me, so I started trying all of the home businesses. I joined quite a few direct sales companies over the years, tried selling my own cards and jewelry, and every now and then got a "real job" again. Nothing really worked! I felt pretty useless.
Finally, at age 31, I figured out a fulfilling career - opening an online clothing boutique! It was something I could do from home, both allowing me to be home with my kids and letting me avoid those schedules that stressed me out so much. Now, it's not that easy. There is obviously a lot of hard work involved and it takes time to build your business. But, now I enjoy almost every aspect of my job, hardly ever get stomach aches, and feel very fulfilled.
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So, you know you want to break free of the daily grind, but HOW? I suggest starting with a list of all of your interests, no matter whether you think there is income potential or that you're good enough at it. My list includes painting, photography, writing, hiking, clothes, event planning, and camping. None of which I am professionally trained in, I just enjoy them very much.
Also make a list of your trained skills, things that you had to learn from teaching and experience. Mine are customer service and sublimation printing.
And finally, your gifts and talents. Things that, whether you love them or not, you are naturally good at. For example, I wrote down untangling, color coordinating, event planning, being a good host, helping and caring about others, and organizing.
From there, try to find some commonalities. What could you combine to create the perfect job? I combine clothing, photography, customer service, sublimation printing, color coordinating, and organizing to run my boutique. This blog brings in the writing aspect. I am planning to print shirts using my paintings, which adds another of my passions to the fold. The more of your passions and talents that you can combine, the more likely you are to absolutely love your chosen career! Again, the book Dark Horse expands way more on that topic.
Another thing you can do is find a career coach, one that really cares about you and what will make you most fulfilled. Lisa Pulliam, of StableMinded, is a coach I can personally recommend as she helped me when I was struggling to figure out where to go next with my business. She offers tests that can help you to narrow down your strengths, and will go through the results with you, adding her own recommendations on how to use that information in a practical way.
The most important thing is to never settle if you're not happy with what you're currently doing. Change isn't always immediate, or dramatic, but regularly reevaluating and tweaking what isn't working will help you to build a more fulfilling career and life that can bring you joy.
Bonus tip: A fulfilling life lets you live out the things that bring you joy, but they don't all have to be income producing. Volunteering and taking time for hobbies allow you to use more of your interests that might not be a regular part of your job. I hike, camp, and plan events for fun. Job-adjacent, I just joined the board of my networking group, which will allow me to help others, plan events, host, and organize.
What steps have you taken toward creating a life of fulfillment and joy? What steps are you going to take next? I'd love to hear about your journey!
