Do What You Love

February 22nd, 2006 by logan alexandra frederick · No Comments

[Preface: I left a job and, eventually, a profession I was unhappy with a year ago this May. While at this job, I penned this piece of writing. It was an affirmation that I needed at the time to guide me through a situation in which I felt undervalued and underutilized. Having encountered quite a few bumps in the road of life since leaving that job�trying to reorient myself financially, emotionally and every which way�I still feel that these words have served me well. I offer them to you in the spirit of making whatever changes you need to make�large or small�to do what you love. You can transform not only yourself but also the world around you by being�and doing�more of who you are.]

Doing what you love is the ultimate self-affirmation. If you are looking to feel good about yourself, to feel hopeful, confident, appreciative, motivated, creative, tireless and abundant�do what you love. It is so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day �how-to�s,� �gottas,� �shoulda�s,� �if only I had done this or thats,� �if only I had this or thats,� that we so easily slip in to trying to get affirmation from �out there.� I mean, we put so much energy into the day to day getting from here to there, keeping ourselves and our families intact just trying to survive, that we think this is what our life is about. And so, we set about trying to extract the affirmations where we can get them�keeping track of the flow, or lack of it�from our jobs, our co-workers, our friends, our family members, our paychecks, the government, our insurance companies, our neighbors, our pets, our homes, our plumbing (when it isn�t working). We keep track of it because we�re afraid there isn�t enough of it. And there isn�t! Because in looking out there for it, we start with a deficit. Because, it ain�t out there to begin with.

So, the first thing you do is, stop. Stop what you are doing. Carve out 15 minutes of indestructible, uninvadeable, pure, crystal-clear, moveable, breathable time to do what you love. If you haven�t yet figured out what that is, then use those fifteen minutes to tease it out of yourself. If you have made that space truly yours, you will find it. And once you find it, you will have tapped into the fountain of youth, the river of boundless energy and creativity. That time will free you from the slavedom that says there isn�t enough and that what you need is out there, outside of you.

We often get taught that to serve others is to serve the greatest good. But taint so. First, we must lovingly and joyfully embrace the gifts that the Great Spirit has bestowed upon us and cultivate those gifts in the service of humankind. By cultivating those gifts we are serving humankind. We cannot do one without the other. So, do what you love. Bring your best self to the table. You will inspire others to do the same. The best world that we can live in begins at home in our hearts.