This past Sunday at my church, the message was about limitations. Being a perfectionist, this is not my favorite topic, but we all have limitations and things that are just not meant for us, for whatever reason.
But this is hard, right? Us twenty-somethings were raised with a "you can do anything you want to do, and be anyone you want to be!" philosophy. And while that was meant to be a great thing, the implication is that literally every choice is available...and if we're being honest, that's just not true!
In high school, I went to gymnastics lessons for two years straight and I was still never able to do a simple back handspring. My chances of being an Olympic gymnast...pretty much zero. Some things just aren't meant to be. And actually, knowing that and coming to terms with it takes a lot of the pressure off!
But to me, the main problem with this "you can do anything!" mindset, combined with social media, is that it makes everyone feel like they're supposed to do something EPIC. Because if you can do literally anything that you want to do, why wouldn't you choose the super rich and famous route?
I think that this way of thinking can lead otherwise happy people into thinking that they're not good enough. Or rich enough. Or famous enough. Or..."epic" enough.
I think that if you find something difficult that you love to do, and that also fits in with your real passions and values, then by all means work your butt off and go get it! You really might "make it big" - the sky is the limit! But if what you love is organic farming, raising a family, nursing, teaching, doing people's accounting (hard for me to imagine but I'm sure that these people exist!), or something that doesn't include a lot of recognition or money, that's okay too! Don't let society's way of thinking interfere with the real things in your life that you love.
I've written recently about my career and how I dabbled in acting a bit. It might be hard to understand how anyone would stop focusing on a career as exciting as acting (even though lots of people who were much, much more successful at it than me have quit!), for something boring like writing and running a shop in my house all day by myself. But if I'm being honest, I am so much happier and at peace with my life. I am a homebody and a control freak. Running an at-home business is the perfect route for me. :)
The take-away? Be true to yourself, and know that
it's okay to be happy with a simple life.
{a print inspired by this post is now available in the shop, if you would like to add this reminder to your home!} http://charmandgumption.com/products/simple-life-print-choose-your-color
{a print inspired by this post is now available in the shop, if you would like to add this reminder to your home!} http://charmandgumption.com/products/simple-life-print-choose-your-color
I think it's partially being able to recognize what is truly epic. Our society/culture doesn't always place monetary value on professions that are truly epic. I may be biased being a teacher myself, but teaching is epic. Walking in day after day and putting your heart and soul into something that you don't always see the results of, but trusting that what you're doing is going to pay off in the long run, that is epic. To be painfully aware each day of your shortcomings and your failures and then to get up the next day, committed to doing it better, that is epic.
ReplyDeleteI think the real shame is that we don't recognize the slow journeys as the epic journeys.
So here's to the slow, quiet journeys that require persistence and commitment! :)
I absolutely agree! I think our country is too obsessed with celebrity culture to realize that the really interesting people who are doing amazing things aren't the ones walking red carpets or starring in their own tv show. Thank you for what you do! xo
DeleteThe aspect of the "you can do anything!" mentality that I've always struggled with is trying to juggle all of my passions at once - and believe I can somehow successfully pursue all of them simultaneously! It was a tough day when I realized that I can't truly do everything I want to do, if I want it to be quality work, so I've had to shed some of the extraneous stuff (photography, music, video editing) to really hone in on my greatest passion (writing). Thanks for sharing such an insightful and thought-provoking post!
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