RETIRE
TO YOUR PASSION
“The
only courage you ever need is the courage to live your
heart’s desire.” -Oprah
Now
is the time!!!
In her e-zine, Barbara Sher, author
of Wishcraft, wrote
“You’re
all obligated to do what you love because that’s where your
gifts lie and those gifts belong to all of us.”
Implicit in that statement are
three
premises:
1) everyone is here for a purpose,
and
2) everyone is here to help others, and
3) gravitating toward pleasure, e.g., doing what you love, is not
only okay, it is mandatory if you want to help others and if you
are seeking the wonderful illusives called happiness, satisfaction,
and serenity.
Barbara’s statement reminds me of my favorite quote
“The
time to be happy is now; the place to be happy is here, and the way
to be happy is by helping others.” - Charles Englehardt. That says it
all.
You are retired now. Now is your time to use your gifts to make the
world a better place. Doing so will not only enrich your life but
also the lives of others.
The
following exercises may help you recognize how to capture those
precious illusives and impact the world with your gifts.
1. Circle
what is most important to you: family, wealth, home (comfortable,
opulent), freedom, pets, satisfaction, happiness, recognition,
power, the environment, travel, health, serenity, other (be
specific)?
There are no right or wrong answers. Whatever you choose, ask
yourself what price (time, energy, stress, etc.) you are paying for
it. For example, if you circled “health” as #1, are you
contradicting your choice by being under stress or eating junk food
or staying up too late? What is important is to know what you most
value and what price you will pay to obtain what is most important
to you.
2. On
an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper, fold it in the center--right side to
left side. Then fold it the same way again so that you end up with
four long, skinny columns. At the top of each column, write one of
the following words: SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE,
TALENTS/GIFTS.
Skills:
Take as much time as you need--maybe days--to fill in each column.
It’s easy to determine what skills you have: typing, wood
working, skiing, cooking. Anything that is learnable is a skill,
although it could also be a talent. I could learn to play the
piano--a skill, but I may not have a talent for piano playing. List
every skill you can think of, especially those you enjoy using.
This may be your gift.
Knowledge:
What do you enjoy reading
and knowing a lot about: steam engine locomotives, dieting, global
warming, computers, politics, space travel, raising dogs. List all
of the subjects about which you are knowledgeable. Again, be sure
you include those areas where you still pursue information.
Experience:
What have you done in life
from as far back as you can remember? Paper boy, errand boy,
sweeper, hockey player, baby sitter, mom, dad, cousin--the
potential examples are endless. Write everything you can think of
no matter how long ago it occurred.
Talents/Gifts:
This is the hardest column
and is the one you may need help with. What do you do naturally,
without hesitation? What is “easy” for you? Family and
friends may more easily be able to isolate what talents and gifts
you have. Do you have a great sense of humor? Are you funny? Easy
to talk to? A good presenter? Good teacher? Good friend? Good
artist, dancer, singer? A kind person? Good mother, father? You may
experience a feeling of embarrassment or humility when you relate
what you believe your talent or gift is, and that is fine.
Look carefully at each column you’ve completed and circle
your favorite thing, the thing that “calls” to you.
Look at your four choices--one from each column--and see if you can
come up with a way to combine the four and, as a result, make a
difference in the lives of others.
To give you a personal example, my favorite skill is teaching (and
I believe it is also my talent). My favorite area of knowledge is
“people skills.” In experience is my work with
“at risk” kids. And I believe my talent is being able
to understand, reach, and teach those I work with.
3. Joe Karbo, in his book, The Lazy Man’s Way to
Riches, written
in the early 1970’s and equally viable today, recommends
making a list of everything you like and everything you like to do.
For example, I like pizza, but I don’t like making it. Then
take something from the “like” column and combine it
with something in the “like to do” column, and you may
be able to come up with a good career idea. Take
a few minutes and develop your own two lists and see what you would
combine.
4. Decades ago, I took the EST (Ehrhardt Seminar Training) and
vividly remember the importance “Be, Do, Have” played
in the training.
Complete the following sentence with as many completions as you
can: “I am happiest when I am
__________________.”
To further refine this exercise, complete each of the following
with two examples:
I am happiest when I am having
______________________.
I am happiest when I am doing
_______________________.
I am happiest when I am being
_______________________.
The EST trainer told us that most of us approach what we desire
backwards. For example, for a dancer, is it best to
have
a tutu to wear while
dancing, then do dancing lessons, so you can
be
a dancer; or should you
dance (be), then take lessons (do), and then buy a tutu
(have)?
5. Recall a time when you were working on a project and time
slipped by without your being aware of it. What were you
doing?
Try these exercises and keep in mind, your gift belongs to the
world! You can’t give it away unless you are aware of it and
use it. What greater satisfaction is there than doing what you love
and making a difference in the world!
Good Luck and Enjoy!